By Angeljean Chiaramida
SALISBURY — It's taken six years of hard labor and determination, but yesterday — on Earth Day — the first leg of the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail was opened.
The more than one mile of recreation trail runs from Extra Innings on Old Elm Street all the way to Lion's Park, behind the Salisbury Fire Station. In the not-too-distant future, when technicalities are worked out at the Vaughn Business Park at Old Elm Street, the trail will continue along land donated by Jim Vaughn all the way to Rabbit Road and the Amesbury/Salisbury line.
The town's heavy machinery donated by Salisbury's SPS New England heavy construction company has made the project possible. But pretty much all of the hands-on, dirty, sweaty, toting, digging, grading and planting was provided by local and Timberland Co. volunteers.
Yesterday, starting at 9 a.m., volunteers and staff of the Highway and Planning departments installed bike racks and signs, landscaped and improved drainage, among other things. By the end of the day, the tired crew was slated to snip a ribbon, opening the Lion's Park section, according to Town Planner, Lisa Pearson, who has nudged and prodded the project along for years.
For Timberland volunteers, the hours of hard labor and sore muscles were worth every minute.
"I was the leader of the first team here six years ago, and I'm back this year," said Timberland volunteer Vaughan Morgan. "I come because it's a great project."
"Very, very satisfying," is the way Timberland volunteer Terry Zych discussed his time working in Salisbury, as he and others were provided a "nice lunch," courtesy of the town.
And Jim McCarthy has spent three years volunteering on the project and is the Timberland leader this year with a team of 40.
"It's nice to work outdoors on Earth Day, knowing we're building something that will allow families to spend time outside," McCarthy said. "And it's also nice to know kids can ride their bikes on the trail to get to and from Lion's Park without having to ride on Route 110.
"And the people here in Salisbury are great. You know, some come out to see us. Then before you know it, they pick up a rake or start planting flowers."
McCarthy said over the years he's brought his own family to enjoy the recreation trail he and his colleagues helped build.
According to Pearson, a rail trail and bike lane system is envisioned as part of a larger Coastal Trails Network consisting of 30 miles of linked trails and bike lanes in Salisbury, Amesbury, Newburyport and Newbury.
Selectman Jerry Klima said only about $10,000 has been spent on the project, with $50,000 recently received from the state to finish up yesterday's work along the Ghost Trail.
Also planned is the Eastern Marsh Recreation Trail to be built by Massachusetts Highway Department soon. It will run from the Merrimack River to Mudnock Road, not far from Cushing Street, where riders can pick up the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail.
Another dream is to link Lion's Park to Salisbury Elementary School with a bike trail, so children can ride from school to the park and the Boys and Girls Club — which is nearby — without having to ride along Route 1, Klima said.
