photo/submitted
Westborough – The Westborough Community Land Trust (WCLT) has been awarded a $93,000 MassTrails grant from the state of Massachusetts for work to make the Gilmore Pond Trail into a universal-access all-persons loop trail, WCLT president Gillian Beamer announced recently.
The project will modify the existing ⅓-mile Gilmore Pond Trail, which encircles Gilmore Pond, to be accessible to all persons, including those who are mobility- and visually impaired. The work will include grading the trail with stabilized stone dust, installing boardwalks, and adding a post and rope handrail. These renovations will allow underserved members of the community to access one of the most beautiful “charms” of Westborough’s Charm Bracelet network of trails. The trail will be wheelchair-friendly and also stroller-friendly. This project is a first step in WCLT’s goal of making this trail ADA-compliant and universally accessible.
The grant will cover materials and professional labor, but hundreds of volunteer hours will also be needed to complete the construction of this multi-year project. The WCLT Stewardship Committee hopes to begin work this summer.
WCLT’s project is one of 71 funded by $5 million in MassTrails Grants. The Baker-Polito administration announced the grants on June 26.
For a Gilmore Pond trail map visit
westboroughcharm.org/guide/maps/upperjackstraw_trail_map.pdf.
