ADAMS, Mass. — The first phase of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is nearing completion, and two meetings will be held in Adams on June 18 by groups interested in the trail.

 

Teen artists participating in the design phase of UNITY's Bike Path Teen Sculpture Project will hold a public presentation and reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. In addition to being a celebration of the teens' work, the event will be an opportunity for community residents to offer their feedback on the designs. 

 

Community feedback will be incorporated into the development phase of the project, to begin in the fall, according to a press release. 

 

Adams teens Jeff Filiault, Emily Jaramillo and Sarah Manley, and North Adams teens Erica Varieur, Bill Deerstein and Chris Winslow have been working under the guidance of lead artist Bill Botzow for five weeks to develop design ideas for the project. In working toward their designs, the artist team has studied the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail site, keeping in mind the users of the path and the goals of the communities it serves, while approaching the bike path itself as a sculpture. 

 

The Berkshire Bike Path Teen Sculpture Project is part of the CommUNITY Arts Program, a project of UNITY supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The project was chosen by the CommUNITY Arts Advisory Board, made up of youth and adults from the community, with the hope that it will help develop the trail as a cultural as well as recreational destination, that it will increase a sense of community ownership of the trail, and that it will increase a sense of youth ownership of the trail, lessening the threat of vandalism by teens while providing an opportunity for teens to make their mark in a meaningful way. 

 

For more information about the project, call Erica Schmitz at 413-663-7588. 

 

Also at Town Hall that evening, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Berkshire Enterprises and the Adams Downtown Development Corporation will hold a free forum entitled Ashuwillticook Trail: "When they build it, who will come?" According to a press release, John Coull, the founder of Valley Bikes in Amherst and the executive director of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, "will talk about the good things that come from having a rail trail." 

 

Local business owners are invited to the forum. They can learn how Coull and other business owners along the Northampton Rail Trail increased their sales by providing products and services for bicyclists, walkers, and others using the trail. 

 

For more information, call Berkshire Enterprises at 413-448-2755. 

 

State Rep. Shaun P. Kelly announced in a June 7 press release that the first phase of construction of the rail trail will likely be completed ahead of the scheduled date, October 2001, and may be entirely finished as early as August. An initial surface has been placed on the trail, although a final top layer is required. Petricca Construction Co. is performing the construction of the trail. 

 

Upon completion, the trail will be 10-feet wide with shoulders that are almost 2-feet wide. It will extend north from the Pittsfield/Lanesborough line, through Cheshire and into Adams, ending near Park Street. Although construction is not yet complete, many have been using the trail for activities such as walking and bicycling. Those using the trail before the official opening should be reminded of the hazards of being in a construction zone and take proper precautions. Motorized vehicles are strictly prohibited. 

 

For details on rules of the trail and safety tips, contact the Department of Environmental Management at 413-442-8928. The Cheshire Police Department is providing bicycle patrols on the trail and a ranger from DEM as well as members of the Massachusetts Environmental Police will be available on a part-time basis to ensure the safety of users and enforce the rules of the trail. 

 

There will be no wastebaskets on the trail, as all similar recreation areas have a "carry in, carry out" policy for trash. Environmentally friendly restrooms will be available at the Berkshire Mall trailhead and Farnum's Crossing.