Kids & Family
The Medfield Rail Trail Secures $100,000 In DCR Grant Funds
With this grant award, the Medfield rail trail is on track to start building in 2019
The Medfield Board of Selectmen have signed a Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) grant agreement for $100,000 for the creation of the Medfield Rail Trail. The multi-use trail will follow the route of the unused Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rail bed in Medfield, running approximately 1.3 miles from Ice House Road to the Dover Town Line.
The grant was submitted by Town Planner Sarah Raposa and was prepared with the support of the Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail (FMRT) and the Bay Colony Rail Trail Association (BCRTA).
“The goal is to create a safe recreational trail that will connect residents throughout the Town, providing a car-free area for biking, walking, and jogging” said Christian Donner, founder of the Friends of Medfield Rail Trail. “Dog walkers, and families with strollers and young children will also be able to enjoy the trail. There will be a direct connection between the Rail Trail and the Bay Circuit Trail, which in turn connects to hundreds of acres of open space, town-owned recreation areas, and the former Medfield State Hospital campus.”
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The DCR grant is part of $3,940,000 allocated to fund design, construction, and maintenance for 75 trail projects throughout the Commonwealth. The grants, which will benefit projects located in over 60 communities, are being awarded through the Recreational Trails Program and MA state capital funds.
About the Friends of Medfield Rail Trail
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The Friends of Medfield Rail Trail (FMRT) is a volunteer group of residents working toward the implementation of the Medfield Rail Trail. The mission of the FMRT is to make the Medfield Rail Trail a reality. FMRT welcome volunteers to help with this effort. If interested please contact FMRT at medfieldrailtrail@gmail.com.
The FMRT, a Medfield Foundation initiative, is seeking private donations to raise an additional $90,000 so construction of the Rail Trail can commence in 2019. Tax deductible donations can be made either online at Medfieldfoundation.org, or checks can be mailed to MFi, Medfield Town Hall, 459 Main St, Medfield, MA 02052. Please contact Abby Marble at (508) 359-5370 with any questions regarding the Medfield Foundation, or Michael Taylor at (508) 878-6599 to learn more about the Friends of Medfield Rail Trail.