Dear Friends,

Your trails and rivers are there when you need them most.

It’s been a year like no other. And through it all, our town has shown much courage and resilience. Our mission to connect the community through the outdoors has been hard to achieve. But we have cause for renewed hope. 

We are writing to encourage everyone to get involved as we move forward in the new year. “What you can do” is the theme of this newsletter. Each of us has much to contribute and collectively we can do great things. 

Whether it is helping to shape the future of our walking paths and bike routes, making our Shawsheen river more accessible, or volunteering on projects to clean and protect our outdoor parks and riverway, we invite you to lend a hand. We have exciting plans for 2021 and we need your help to make them happen. Wishing you a safe and meaningful holiday season.

From our hearts,

Jane Cairns, Board president, & the Andover Trails community
andovertrails.org

• Let elected and appointed leaders in the community know of your support for this article in the CIP;
• Write a letter to the Editor of the Andover exclaiming how valuable the River is to you and your family;
• Most important, attend Town Meeting to support this part of the Town Budget.

Did You Paddle or Fish on the Shawsheen River in 2020?

This year, all outdoor resources in our community experienced surges in use as safe ways to get outside became vital to our mental and physical health. The Shawsheen experienced more recreational use by paddlers, fishermen, and walkers than in recent memory.  The canoe and kayak racks were oversubscribed and despite unusually low water levels, the launch sites were heavily used.  The River crew led by the indomitable River Keeper keep passage safe and expanded the navigable section.  It conducted 13 work trips on sections of the River from Bedford all the way to the Merrimack. 
 

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What you can do?

Andover’s roads are an asset for the entire community and are a valuable resource for recreation and health, as well as transportation. The Town Departments of Public Safety, Public Works, and Planning are collaborating and identifying ways to make the town more walkable and bikeable. The brainstorming has just begun and is focusing on improvements to neighborhoods near schools, the train stations, and downtown. The bike loops will continue to get marked and signage and bike racks will be added at key locations. 

The road marking on both Andover bike loops were completed last Spring. Every intersection and turn on the 9-mile and 24-mile loops are clearly identified a white “A”’s pointing the way. Both routes are now mapped with cue sheets located on the andovertrails.org website under “Bicycle Routes“. The road marking will take place in April when the road surface warms.  
 

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What you can do? 

• This important initiative is just getting underway and this is the right time to volunteer to contribute. The best way to let your interest be known is to send in a note to shawsheengreenway@gmail.com and let us know how you can contribute;
• Want to help mark the two Andover Bike loops this spring?  No prior training required only an appreciation of the crisp “A”s stenciled on the road. Send in a note volunteering and we will include you on the list of artists/painters.
• Next summer the Town may hold a bicycling event to engage more of the community in the overall “Complete Streets” planning.  Let us know if you would like to participate.

Andover’s Community Paths are pedestrian walkways intended to provide community connections, “short-cuts,” and easy access to the natural beauty abutting many of the town’s cul-de-sacs and neighborhoods. Since 1994, approximately 20 Community paths have been created and labeled with the program’s blue-and-white logo. Look for one near you! 

What you can do? Look for the path nearest you and help keep it clear.

 Help us achieve this goal by including Andover Trails in your end-of-year giving plans.

Please provide any amount by making a secure online and tax-deductible contribution to Andover Trails by December 31. Our website also gives instructions for those who would prefer to mail a check or to make a gift from a charitable donor-advised fund.

Your continued generosity this holiday season will bring rewards to the entire community far beyond the New Year.

The 6th edition provides up-to-date maps, parking recommendations, descriptions, and histories of more than thirty unique and interesting conserved properties, spanning more than 4,000 acres of forest, meadows, streams and ponds. It also details the various volunteer groups and organizations dedicated to establishing and promoting Andover’s trails and open space. Whether you are an experienced hiker or new to the area, this guide is essential to accessing and enjoying the beauty of our town. The Andover Trails Guide, 6th edition is available for $15 at many local outlets, or by sending $19 (includes $4 for postage and packaging) to
 

Andover Trails
c/o Treasurer 
26 Essex Street
Andover, MA 01810

Andover Trails is a volunteer organization. Visit our website andovertrails.org to learn more about how to get involved and support programs like Paddle Your Shawsheen and The Scramble.