ATHOL — The upper parking area to the Alan E. Rich Environmental Park, 10 Main St. in Athol, is now open, and the path to the river’s canoe launch area is dry.
The Friends of the park have been working to make it ready for River Rat Day on April 14, when the 55th annual River Rat Race will take place. There are picnic tables and benches in the park, which offers a short, loop walking trail to view the Cass Meadow Wildlife Management area. The Meadow is managed by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Game and The Friends of the Alan Rich Park.
The handicap-accessible dock, installed last year through efforts of the Millers River Watershed Council and Friends, was removed for the winter, and is currently sitting in sections in the parking lot. Dock pieces will be moved to the right side of the lower lot and the kayak rack will go back to the upper lot for racers to stow boats as they stage cars for practice runs. Canoeists are reminded to bring locks for their boats.
The dock, to be located near the starting line of the annual River Rat Race, will be installed by volunteers after the race. The trail includes short spurs to the south shore of the Millers River and a longer spur leading deeper into the meadow.
The park was named for longtime Athol selectman, the late Alan Rich, and was developed as part of the Mass Urban River Visions initiative.
The park is also the beginning of the Millers River Bluetrail, a 6-mile paddle that connects Athol to River Front Park in Orange. www.millerswatershed.org/blue-trails
Athol received a state Department of Conservation and Recreation trails grant in the amount of $26,379, and more than $5,800 was raised in a crowdfunding initiative to complete the project. The town also received a $5,000 cash match from MassDevelopment.
The project included installation of dock safety railings, benches, short-term boat storage and other enhancements. The dock is permitted by the Athol Conservation Commission and the state Department of Environmental Protection.