Recent Events

Bedford Depot Park ride, October 15, 2006

Join the RTT members with your bicycle (and helmet, of course!), your walking shoes or your rollerblades for a trip down the Minuteman Bikeway (www.MinutemanBikeway.org.)

Here is a chance to ride, walk or blade on a path such as the one we envision for our community.

The bikeway is approx. 11 miles long (from Bedford Depot to its Alewife terminus.) You can choose to travel as far as you wish. We will have water available and will ask that you sign a waiver before leaving our table and enjoying the day.

Download the flyer for directions

Bicycle helmet give-away, June 17, 2006

The Wakefield Rail-to-Trail Committee gave away vouchers for five free helmets at the Festival by the Lake thanks to a public safety grant. Chief Smith fashioned the voucher which will entitle the bearer to a helmet and fitting at the police booth on Common Ground Day, August 19th, as part of their safety program.

Wakefield Homecoming Day, September 24, 2005

Once again our presence at Homecoming Day was quite successful. Our table was busy all afternoon (the morning is always slower) with folks looking at our maps and signing our sheets to show support for the concept. I did not hear one negative comment all day long!

A special thanks to those who came down and spent time helping us set up, man the table and break things down at the end of the day.

Next Saturday Emmett and I will be spending some time over in Lynnfield at their Pumpkinfest and get a chance to see how the Lynnfield Recreation Path Committee handles their informational setup. Hope the weather is as good for them as it was for us!

Independence Day Parade, July 4, 2005

Our July parade presence was a success. Thanks go to Stephan (who was the "motor" for our float, as well as a major contributor to its design + implementation) and Emmett, Kevin, Aaron, Mike Hedetniemi and the entire Hanes family who rode along for support. Ray and I carried the banner at the front of the group. We were dutifully decked out with balloons, flags and plenty of red, white and blue. I think the waiting time probably out-weighed the actual moving time, but all in all it was a fun and positive experience.

how we spent most of our day

Stephan Wenis' pedal powered parade float

Bill & Gertrude Spaulding award

Judge's award

I feel especially pleased because we received two awards! One was the Bill + Gertrude Spaulding Award which is given to the float with an environmental or conservation-based theme. The other award was a Judge's Award...and that one came with a purse of $100.

Festival by the Lake, June 11, 2005

Well, aside from being the steamiest day in recent memory, Saturday was absolutely a gorgeous day! Our setup at the Festival was a great success. We once again made a wonderful impresssion on the public. The banner made by the Sign Shop--overnite!!--identified our group and our great Fay Spofford maps were once again the eye-catcher for the attendees. We garnered more signatures for our petition of Wakefield residents who support our activities and we added names to our list of folks looking for e-mail updates. We gave out over a hundred flyers with the "catch up" information and our website address. And those of us who manned the table throughout the day probably lost a few pounds standing in that steambath of a day speaking with the many passers-by who showed interest in what we are doing.

Setup crew:

Mike Hedetniemi, Stephan Wenis, Aaron Weieneth, Kevin Scott, Steve Zaya, Emmett Halpin. Missing: Dot Halpin

Mike Hedetniemi explains the rail trail to a passers by

Aaron Weieneth discusses the details while Dot and Emmett Halpin keep watch

Stephan Wenis talks about the proximity to schools

Stephan Wenis talks about how the trail connects with area schools

Thanks to Steve Zaya, Kevin Scott, Aaron Weieneth, Stephan Wenis and Mike Hedetniemi for coming down in the morning and helping set things up. (Steve also gets a nod for directing me to the Sign Shop on Lincoln Street for work on the banner and also the pictures for our 4th of July float!) During the day Aaron, Stephan, Mike, Emmett and I spoke with folks who stopped by (including Mark Falzone, John Carney, and Steve Maio) about what we are doing and where we want to take this project. Thanks also to Paul Czarnota for the use of his awning and table.

Wakefield/Lynnfield Rail-to-Trail ride, May 21, 2005

The Wakefield and Lynnfield Rail to Trail committees, along with the Reedy Meadow Foundation, sponsored a bike ride showcasing points of interest along the proposed recreational trail. The ride followed along the abandoned MBTA track that extends from the Junction in Wakefield, through Reedy Meadow and into Lynnfield which is approximately 12 miles long on the roads of Wakefield and Lynnfield.

Dave, Meg, and Steve

REI Bike technician

Group photo

Pillings Pond Road

The ride was open to all bike riders and participants met at the Elks Club Parking Lot at 63 Bay State Road in Wakefield. The ride was guided at a leisurely pace and included stops to view the Reedy Meadow and other points of interest along the proposed rail trail. There was a mechanic on hand to perform minor bike repairs, courtesy REI of Reading MA, and refreshments provided.

Click here for a pdf version of the ride map and directions.

Craig DellaPenna's Rail-to-Trail Presentation, April 21, 2005

The unique conversion of abandoned railroad tracks, and the blending of those mosaics for a scenic recreational corridor -- through Wakefield and Lynnfield -- was the topic of a public presentation Thursday evening, April 21, at the Old Lynnfield Meeting House, Lynnfield Commons. The event, co-hosted by the Rails-to-Trails and Recreational Path committees of their respective communities, under the sponsorship of the ReedyMeadow™ Foundation, began at 7:30 p.m. and was free to the public.

Craig DellaPenna	Presentation audience
Ken Rowland	Dick Simmons, Kevin Scott

Craig Della Penna, a nationally known lecturer, motivational speaker, and authority on the conversion of "forgotten or hidden lands into treasured places" will discuss the communal value of "smart growth development and rails-to-trails programs". In 2002, THE RIDE magazine named Della Penna "the most effective advocate for bike and rail-to-trail conversion issues on the eastern seaboard".

Photographs courtesy of the ReedyMeadow™ Foundation

Inaugural meeting, November 17, 2004

Steve Zaya, Emmett Halpin, Kevin Scott, Dick Simmons	Dick Simmons, Daniel McCarron, Al Turco, Dot Halpin
Kristina Hanes, Aaron Weieneth	Dot Halpin, Kate Stevens, Kristina Hanes, Aaron Weieneth

WakefieldRail-to-TrailCommittee