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Health & Fitness

Natick Middlesex Path (Sport Bike Area): I need your help

Dear Natick Fiends, I need your help. This morning I cleaned up the Sport Bike Area along Middlesex Path (Two Hands, about 2 hours); a new Trail Buddy (Ben Ryan) and I had cleaned it all up about 3 weeks ago, (and numerous Trail Buddies have helped me in the past few years). Sad and discouraging: I'd have to say that it was about as bad as I've ever seen it. Only about 50% of the litter, bottles, cans, etc. made their way into the BHLF Trash and Recycle Bins. 
• Not simply a police problem. We need help from several other important groups: (Natick BOS, NTY, SPARK Kindness, Natick HS, the Middle Schools, the ConCom, Historical Commission, Trails Committees, parents, among others.
• A neighbor told me that often there are groups of 25 - 30 kids there: afternoons and into the evening until about 11 pm.
• Biking is not the problem; it's the associated activities --sadly plenty of evidence of the 3 "D's" -- (Drugging, Drinking, and Dealing) especially when an older and hard core group takes over in the early evening.
• The kids built a "party bunker" on the north slope overlooking the Commuter Rail, from which they tend to toss their litter down the slope.
• A number of tools (shovels, rakes, buckets, hammers) were scattered about, half of them broken. Another 4 - 5 wheel barrels (all broken down at the wheel or support struts)
The litter I've collected for several years) suggest that we have serious and complex problems here.
• I'm trying to persuade the Natick Historical Commission and Trails Committees to improve the Middlesex Path Trail and adjoining conservation areas, if for no other reason than that the Middlesex Path was part of the Underground Railroad. It's truly sacred ground and not enough people understand that, because it was the old railroad route, runaway slaves used it throughout the early 1800's staying overnight at the homes of wealthy abolitionists who lived along Rte 135, after which they would continue their journeys to Canada. 
• My hope is that we can come up with a TEAM strategy among several Town boards and grassroots organizations groups that will resolve some of these problems. 
One positive note: I did observe a scarlet tanager perch and "oversee" my work for about 15 seconds. Haven't seen one in about a dozen years. My photo is not very good. But the vibrant red and black colors of that bird would take your breath away. Clearly one of the "perks" of Trail Work - Natick Trail Buddies --Pat Conaway

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