Dalton Open Space Committee Seeks Members

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Open Space and Recreation Committee is looking for new members and developing ways to engage the community, especially in the neighborhood around the Pines Trailhead. 
 
The seven-member committee has three vacancies and more members would allow it to be more efficient in managing the Pines as well as strengthen its efforts. 
 
"It's a low time commitment, because we're not talking about a committee that meets three hours a week [and it is an] opportunity to be able to help out the community and try to improve resources that we already have," Chair Jared Shannon said at Thursday's meeting.
 
The committee was established in March 2020, following the update of the open space recreation plan with the goal to protect the town's "treasured natural resources and parks and [maintain] the scenic beauty of the town."
 
Having more people on the committee will help it generate more ideas, member Jenny Gitlitz said. 
 
Not every town has open space in a residential neighborhood that is on a fairly well used street. It's a rarity, Gitlitz said.
 
Dalton has open space like that all over town, Shannon said. 
 
"In general, an appreciation of the value of open space requires that people get out in it to realize it's value," member Cheryl Rose said. 
 
"If you just drive from your house to the mall, maybe you don't even think this matters that we have it, but it does matter."
 
Gitlitz agreed adding that it has been proven that people are happier when they spend time in nature. "They call it 'vitamin N.'"
 
"It's been proven people's health improves when they spend time in nature. So … if we can make [The Pines] a destination for people to go locally, then it'll just make everybody in our town healthier by spending more time in the woods," she said. 
 
The members want to involve the community more in the work that they are doing and juggled around ideas such as a survey and utilizing the town's newsletter to spread the word.
 
In the spring, the committee hopes to host a walkthrough of the trail to gather feedback and get residents involved. This would make the neighborhood feel invested in the community forest, Rose said. 
 
The committee has been working with the youth environment community organization Greenagers to make the trail Americans with Disabilities Act accessible. 
 
A $49,450 Mass Trails grant is being used to increase accessibility and complete various improvements, such as implementing a lookout area that will have benches. 
 
In addition, the committee will be exploring other grant opportunities to make further improvements such as addressing invasive species, adding signage, and developing a map of the area. 
 
Gitlitz also recommended they work to get youth more involved in the trail because it will make them feel invested in the community forest — and that may deter graffiti, which has been an ongoing issue.

Tags: board vacancies,   open space,   trails,   

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North Adams Hosting Route 2 Overpass Study Walks

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city of North Adams is hosting three community walks this week to solicit input on a study of the 60-year-old Central Artery project. 
 
The focus is on the deteriorating Veterans Memorial Bridge that carries Route 2 and connections between the downtown and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The site visits will be led by Openbox, a community-centered design partner for the study, in collaboration with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition 
 
The community walks will be held on one evening and two mornings:
 
Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 14, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 15, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
 
The walks are open to all and attendees are asked to register here and indicate and accessibility needs.  Attendees should arrive within the first hour and plan to spend between 30 to 45 minutes in total during the 90-minute timeframes.
 
Meet at the UNO Community Center on River Street for a self-guided site walk around the Route 2 overpass and
return to the center for conversations about people's everyday experiences moving to, through, and around Route 2 and North Adams.
 
The city, in conjunction with Mass MoCA, has received a federal Reconnecting Communities grant of $750,000 for a planning study. North Adams was one of only 46 communities out of 450 applications to receive a grant; the $1 billion pilot program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. 
 
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