Brewer residents poised to build walking trail
Wednesday, March 08, 2006 

There soon will be a meandering walking trail, through a 10.5-acre park that residents actually will create.

"I'm going to be working with the neighbors" on building the trail, Ken Hanscom, director of the Brewer Parks and Recreation Department, said Tuesday.

The park was created a year ago and located on city-owned land abutting Little John Lane, Rotherdale and Canterbury roads.

Hanscom presented a draft for the trail at the February planning board meeting, but after hearing concerns raised by area residents, he modified those plans and represented a scaled-down version of the trail at Monday's planning board meeting.

"It's a small nature trail, a walking trail," he told the board and the 25 or so residents attending the meeting.

Planned parking was removed from the original plans, and the walking trail was moved to at least 100 feet away from abutting properties to satisfy the residents. Hanscom said the 5- to 6-foot wide trail wouldn't be accessible to people with disabilities or have lighting or benches, and motorized vehicles would be banned.

After hearing several residents voice opposition and support for the trail, the planning board approved the plans.

"The main access point will be off Little John," Hanscom said.

A sign will mark the park and trailhead, and another small access point is planned for Rotherdale Road.

"I am strongly opposed," Floyd Libby, a Rotherdale Road resident, said Monday. He said his property is adjacent to the planned access point, and added: "If we feel it's absolutely necessary, there should be one on Canterbury as well."

There is a small utility easement off Canterbury Road that possibly could be used for a third access point, but a little research needs to be done to see if it's possible, Hanscom said.

Code Enforcement Officer Dave Russell was given the job of researching the easement.

Describing the project as a "neighborhood grass-roots effort" Locksley Lane resident Ron Harriman said he's looking forward to breaking ground on the trail, adding with community support, "I don't see any costs [for the city] associated with the project."

A copyright article from the Bangor Daily News, Wednesday, March 8, 2006.