06/11/09

Conservation Commission to host Great Pond Trail ribbon cutting June 26

The Cape Elizabeth Conservation Commission will host a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2009 at the new Great Pond Trail.

The trail is located on an easement purchased by the Town of Cape Elizabeth and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust from Jodie and Patricia Jordan. This area has long been used by Cape residents, but the new trail is located in area of legal public access and connects to the new boardwalk installed by the Town adjacent to Great Pond.

With this trail link, another priority of the Town's 2001 Greenbelt Plan has been implemented. The public now can walk from Bowery Beach Road to Great Pond, exit at Fenway Road and continue across Fowler Road to the Town's Gull Crest trail system. From Gull Crest, a pedestrian bridge that was constructed by the Town across the Spurwink Marsh connects to the Town Center trail, intersecting the Town Center behind the high school.

The new trail was laid out by volunteers from the Cape Elizabeth Conservation Commission and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. Trail improvements were made by the eighth-grade class in late May as part of their annual community service project, and coordinated by Land Trust volunteers. The eighth-graders were joined by two High School students as part of their Senior Transition Project, and Conservation Commission member Mike Duddy.

The Public Works Department provided support with delivery of materials, purchased by the Conservation Commission, and removal of debris collected by the students.

The ceremony will be held off Fenway Road at the head of the boat access trail to Great Pond.