While early spring may be tossing flurries our way still, the upper parking area to the Alan E. Rich Environmental Park in Athol is now open, and the path to the river’s canoe launch area is dry.
Friends of the Park has been working to make the gem of a park ready for River Rat Day on April 14, when the 55th annual River Rat Race will take place and thousands of visitors will be drawn to the river. 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.
Named for the late Alan Rich, a long-time Athol selectman and political leader, the park was developed as part of the Mass. Urban River Visions initiative. The park, and its river access, is a great example of how New England towns should embrace the waterways that run through them. Greenfield could learn a lesson from this example.
The trail includes short spurs to the south shore of the Millers River and a longer spur leading deeper into the meadow.
The park is also the beginning of the Millers River Bluetrail, a 6-mile paddle that connects Athol to River Front Park in Orange.
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.
We especially are proud that this park and its dock are accessible to all. It says a lot about our community.
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 Rat Race runs.
But the dock, to be located near the starting line of the annual River Rat Race, will be installed by volunteers after the race, so it will again make the water accessible to everyone when the weather and the water warm up for the season.