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Cheshire Holds Dedication for Father Tom Campsite

A Henry David Thoreau quote that Begley often used is affixed to the campsite's bike rack.

 

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Three years after the town received its official Appalachian Trail Community designation, nearly 100 community members gathered for a dedication of the Father Tom Appalachian Trail campsite.

The site, located at 6 Main St., is named after former pastor of St. Mary's Church, the Rev. Thomas Begley and opened in late 2020. The dedication, which included a ribbon-cutting by members of Begley's family, was part of the town's third annual Appalachian Trail community celebration on Friday.

"Over the past three years, the town government, along with a dedicated group of volunteers and supporters, have invested significant energy into the campsite, making it what it is today," said Cheshire AT community coordinator Eileen Quinn. "Cheshire, being one of only 51 officially designated Appalachian Trail communities, has become quite famous within thru-hiker circles for this one-of-a-kind refuge."

Quinn said the need for such a campsite came when the church could no longer offer housing for Appalachian Trail hikers, a practice Begley had started.

"Father Tom provided the church hall as a safe haven for over 6,000 hikers from around the globe," she said. "His conversations with these visitors inspired Father Tom to hike the trail himself, and he finished the entire 2,200 miles over a 12-year period."

Selectmen Michelle Francesconi, Ronald DeAngelis and Shawn McGrath attended the ceremony. Francesconi said she, despite not knowing Begley well, had heard numerous stories from residents of his dedication to Cheshire.

Special Minerals Agrees to Pay Adams, River Groups Over River Discharge

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
02:58PM / Friday, May 03, 2024

Adams plans to use the $50,000 it will get in the consent decree toward the removal of the Peck's Road Dam. 

BOSTON — Specialty Minerals is expected to pay $299,000 for a discharge of calcium carbonate into the Hoosic River nearly three years ago in a consent decree with the Attorney General's Office. 

 

The river turned visibly white from Adams to the Vermont state line from the mineral that leaked out from the plant's settling ponds on Howland Avenue in November 2021. 

 

Calcium carbonate, also known as chalk or limestone, is not toxic to humans or animals. However, the sudden discoloration of the water alarmed local officials and environmentalists and prompted an emergency session of the Northern Berkshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee. 

 

"We allege that this company violated its permits, disregarded federal and state law, and put the Hoosic River — a resource cherished by the Adams community — at risk," said AG Andrea Campbell in a statement. "I am grateful for this collaboration with our state agency partners and committed to holding polluters accountable and working to bring resources back to communities disproportionately impacted by environmental harms."   

 

If approved by the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, the consent decree will require Specialty Minerals to pay a total of $299,000, which includes payments to the town of Adams and three community groups in Northern Berkshire County that will be used to benefit water quality and prevent stormwater impacts. 

 

Once approved, most of the settlement would fund multiple projects to benefit water quality, including infrastructure improvements and native plantings to mitigate stormwater impacts in the Hoosic River Watershed. Specifically, the proposed settlement provides for: 

• $50,000 to the town of Adams for infrastructure improvements in a tributary of the Hoosic River
• $50,000 to Hoosic River Revival for stormwater mitigation projects  
• $50,000 to Hoosic River Watershed Association for a native plant garden and other projects to mitigate stormwater impacts and benefit water quality 
• $50,000 to Sonrisas to fund invasive plant removal and native plant habitat establishment at Finca Luna Búho, a community land project that centers the voices and prioritizes the decision-making of those living in marginalization. 

It will also provide $30,000 in civil assessments to the state's Natural Heritage Endangered Species Fund and $20,000 in civil penalties for violation of state law, as well as $49,000 to offset the costs of the AG's enforcement efforts.