A Rail Trail of Ideas

            The missus and I ventured down to the finally opened “Shining Tides Mile” section of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail. As an original skeptic, the curmudgeon in me wants to say something critical about it, such as the peace and quiet we once experienced walking along the dirt railroad bed communing with nature in peace and quiet is no more.

            The views are beautiful, though I remain saddened that the gigantic steel superstructure dominates the perimeter of the beach. If one stays on the boardwalk and ignores the speeding cyclists whizzing by your ear – they ought to be required to ring a bell as they approach from the rear – sharing the spectacular vistas with the cyclists, joggers and walkers is an afternoon is well spent.

            A walk along the trail is a great place to get away from the incessant talk about the 2024 presidential election, which the media is already dominating the news cycle by reporting early polls. I trust you will also agree that it is much too early to talk about Christmas, though I expect stores will be putting out holiday merchandise in the next month or two. But, is it too early to talk about New Years Eve? Hear me out.

            I suspect people are already dreaming of cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the trail … assuming we ever get snow again. I have an idea that can make the boardwalk an idea venue to celebrate the New Year. Boston has its First Night, New Bedford has its own celebration and Newport has its Water Fire. Why not Mattapoisett? We could call it “First Night Mattapoisett.”

Imagine the whole community … families, mom, dads, kids, grandparents, seniors walking the trail on New Year’s Eve. Town organizations could sponsor sections setting up hot chocolate or cider stations along the boardwalk. Restaurants could offer food as they do at the “Taste of the Town,” or food trucks might provide refreshments.

            A deejay or the Old Hammondtown School Band could supply music. (Auld Lang Syne at midnight might be a nice touch, wouldn’t you agree?) Generators could be placed under the boardwalk to provide power. Temporary lighting could be set up. (Solar lights embedded in the railings for nighttime walks wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway.)

            A New Year celebration along the Rail Trail is not unprecedented. One town that I am familiar with has been doing it for several years. (Ya, I confess I stole the idea.) They set up fire pits along the trail for roasting marshmallows. Instead of firepits, we could have the Fire Department start mini-bonfires along the beach for warming.

            At midnight, all the revelers could stand at the railing and watch a laser show or better yet, a gigantic fireworks display over the west harbor. (Like they did over the town beach when I was a boy.) You’ve got to think big.

            Now you may ask, how do we pay for all this? I don’t know. I’m just the idea guy. That town I mentioned, they use volunteers, private citizens, civic organizations and a few deep-pocketed benefactors.

            Here is one idea, we could have a footrace in the fall along the Rail Trail from Fairhaven to the village, entry fees to pay some expenses, for example. We could call it the “Boardwalk Blister Mini Marathon.” Well, we can work on that.

            Perhaps some group could “sell” boardwalk planks like the engraved bricks at Shipyard Park. The buyer would get a small brass plaque with their name engraved attached to their plank. Well, that’s all I have. Do you expect me to think of everything?

            If “First Night Mattapoisett” comes to pass, I might just stay up past my 9:00 pm bedtime.

            Editor’s note: Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and retired newspaper columnist whose musings are, after some years, back in The Wanderer under the subtitle “Thoughts on ….” Morgado’s opinions have also appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

Thoughts on…

By Dick Morgado