Recreation | 02038 Real Estate

Franklin’s Trunkline Trail getting million dollar upgrade

Warren Reynolds — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 23:12:03 +0000

Franklin’s section of the twenty-two mile long Southern New England Trunkline Trail is set to get a $1M+ upgrade in 2020. An underpass will be built at the multi-use walking and biking trail’s junction with Prospect Street in Franklin, Massachusetts. (In the rest of this post, the Southern New England Trunkline Trail is referred to alternately as “SNETT” or the “Trunkline Trail.”)

Awkward, unmarked Prospect Street crossing poses danger and inconvenience

As it currently exists, the Trunkline Trail’s crossing at Prospect Street is always awkward, sometimes difficult, and can be potentially dangerous. The planned underpass is a sensible solution to a complicated challenge.

Prospect Street in Franklin is a winding country road that retains the rural flavor of Franklin’s agricultural past. While not a major artery, the road is a through-street connecting a broad area of the southern and western region of town, so it does get fairly heavy traffic volume. Vehicles can move quickly along this road.

There’s a sharp curve in the road as Prospect Street approaches the Trunkline Trail from the north. Drivers in fast-moving cars can quickly come unawares upon SNETT users crossing the road.

What’s worse, the SNETT crossing at Prospect Street is completely unmarked. There is no road signage warning traffic of the Trunkline Trail’s crossing, no zebra-striped crosswalk, nothing denoting that there can be at times someone crossing the road at this spot. It’s essentially crosser and driver beware!

Steep roadbed creates slippery slope

The Trunkline Trail’s crossing of Prospect Street is further impacted by the street’s raised roadbed at its junction with the Trunkline Trail.

The above image shows SNETT”S approach to Prospect Street from the west. From news reports on the issue, there used to be a Prospect Street bridge that crossed over the sunken tracks of the railroad when it was in operation. When rail service was discontinued, the bridge was demolished and the cutting was filled in, creating Prospect Street’s raised roadbed shown above.

The rise is quite an obstacle to walkers and bikers using SNETT. After rains, matted leaves that cover this slope can become slippery. Even in dry weather, the steep slope presents a challenge to young children, bicyclists, and casual users lacking sturdy shoes.

Private property impinged on

Correcting the problematic crossing at Prospect Street is complicated by the fact that the current path up and over the raised roadbed seems to depart the SNETT right-of-way and and traverses private property as it navigates Prospect Street.

The above is the view of the Trunkline Trail from the east side of Prospect Street. The “detour” path in the image to the left up from the Trunkline Trail seems to be at least partly on private property, since it takes users alongside a home’s paved driveway as it reaches Prospect Street. So any effort to upgrade the junction between SNETT and Prospect Street that retains the current “detour” path would potentially involve a judicial taking by the government of someone’s private property.

Underpass solves many problems

The underpass (termed a “tunnel” in most news reports on the upgrade) seems the simplest way to resolve the many the challenges presented by the SNETT’s current crossing of Prospect Street.

Construction is tentatively expected to be completed by the end of 2020. This is an exciting improvement to what is a wonderful recreational resource not only for the Town of Franklin, MA but also for neighboring communities on the Trunkline Trail as well!

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Ten days of art, culture, and fun at Artweek in Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 10:40:13 +0000

ArtWeek 2019 gets underway in Franklin, MA on Friday, April 26 and ends on Sunday, May 5. It’s part of the annual springtime celebration of the arts held across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“ArtWeek” is something of a misnomer: over the years, it has grown into ten days of events, shows, and activities in many participating Massachusetts communities.

Franklin Cultural District site of many ArtWeek events

This will be the first ArtWeek in Franklin with The Franklin Cultural District officially in place.

Full schedule of events

You can download the ten day schedule of ArtWeek events in Franklin via the hotlink at left or in the image below.

“Taste of ArtWeek” craft and food festival in Franklin Saturday, April 27

The first weekend of ArtWeek in Franklin, MA gets off to a fun start with live music, food, drink, and a craft fair this Saturday, April 27. It’s called the “Taste of ArtWeek” and is a new event in town. You can access a comprehensive review of all the scheduled events for the Taste of Artweek here or in the hotlink embedded in the image below.

This new event in Franklin runs from 4 PM to 8 PM on Saturday, and it will be held at the Franklin Town Common and the adjacent Hayward Manor.

It’s a grand opportunity to get outside, see and be seen, meet local crafters, and have a good time enjoying the warmer weather! You’ll be able to inspect and buy a variety of handmade crafts, decorations, jewelry, and artwork. There will be a juried crafts exhibition, food trucks, and a beer garden. (Wine will also be available for purchase.)

Purchase tickets on-line

You can purchase tickets for use at the food trucks and the beer garden on-line here or by following the hotlink in the image below.

Taste of Artweek supports good causes

The Taste of ArtWeek proceeds will benefit both the Random Smile Project charity and the Franklin Cultural Council.

If you can’t attend the Taste of Artweek event, you can make a donation to Random Smile here. And you can contact the FCC here to get involved in this important support for the arts and culture in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Here’s hoping the Taste of ArtWeek is a big success and becomes an annual event in town!

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Franklin Y joins STEM movement

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 20:31:06 +0000

Franklin, MA’s Hockomock YMCA recently joined over 1,000 YMCAs nationwide in offering youth programs promoting involvement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As described on the national YMCA’s website, these programs seek to engage “youth in year-round STEM activities that nurture their curiosity, inspire creativity and teach them how to succeed.”

In announcing the new Technology Club & Lab on its own website, the Franklin Y stated that the goal of the program “is to teach middle school and high school students about careers in technology . . . this club introduces students to the benefits of a career in the technology field and provides a safe place to learn and prepare for a job in technology.”

Upcoming meetings of the Technology Club at the Franklin YMCA are scheduled for February 6, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5 and July 10. If you have questions about the Franklin Y’s Technology Club or Technology Lab, please contact Kim Jennings at kjennings@hockymca.org.

Sample activities offered by YMCA STEM programs

The national YMCA website provided downloads of some of the activities youths will find at the typical STEM programs offered nationwide at various YMCA chapters. Here are just some of the samples from the national site:

Learn more about the Franklin YMCA

The Bernon Family Branch of the Hockomock YMCA in Franklin, MA is truly something special. Its facilities are top notch! It provides a large offering of programs and services. For children, their services include: early child care and preschool classes at their Children’s Center; before and after school care, swimming and sports classes, a summer camp, and a variety of educational classes. Adults can partake in exercise and nutrition programs, sports leagues, personal training, as well as senior activities and health maintenance programs.

Check out the Y in Franklin – it’s just part of what makes Franklin, MA such a great place to call home!

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New artificial turf field at Beaver Pond Recreation Area

Warren Reynolds — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 15:59:30 +0000

A beautiful new artificial turf field has been installed at the Beaver Pond Recreation Area in Franklin, MA.

After some installation delays, the field went into service during the middle of September. Here’s how the field looked during a recent evening of Youth Flag Football, sponsored by the Franklin Recreation Department:

Artificial turf field in daylight

On a bright and sunny early fall day, the new field looks even better:

The lines aren’t just sprayed on, they consist of colored fibers embedded in the base of the field.

Here’s how the field looked before installation, once the old turf was removed:

Learn more about recreational opportunities in Franklin, MA

The Town of Franklin, MA has won national recognition for its outstanding recreational resources. The town’s Recreation Department hosts an extremely robust and diversified roster of sport and recreational activities. Franklin is also home to a number of youth sports organizations that serve children of all ages and skill levels. Franklin offers residents a number of ball fields and playgrounds, while its access to walking trails and fishing and boating opportunities is excellent! Contact Warren Reynolds to get more information on living in the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts!

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Franklin Recreation Department offers outstanding summer programs

Warren Reynolds — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:21:13 +0000

The Recreation Department for the Town of Franklin, MA sponsors a wide range of fun programs and activities for the summer. Offerings are for all ages and appeal to many interests. The summer program is surprisingly robust for a community on the I-495 corridor in Massachusetts. You can download the full Franklin Recreation Department summer brochure via the hotlink at left or in the image below and see for yourself what an outstanding asset the Recreation Department is to the Town of Franklin.

Online registration for an impressive array of programs

You can also view all the programs online via the Franklin MA Recreation Department’s web page. From there you can access an online registration site that is quick and easy!

Below are some of the highlights from the Franklin Recreation Department’s summer program:

A lot of thought and effort has gone into creating this program of activities. The summer offerings from the Franklin Recreation Department speak very well for both the Department itself and for the overall Town of Franklin, Massachusetts. Great job, Franklin Recreation Department!

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Major sidewalk project in Franklin nears completion

Warren Reynolds — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 13:12:03 +0000

A $1.8 million sidewalk repair and installation project benefiting Pleasant and Chestnut Streets in Franklin, MA is nearing completion.

Most of Pleasant Street has received new sidewalks; that portion of the project is now complete.

While much of the planned installation on Chestnut Street has been done, the recent onset of cold weather may delay completion of the sidewalk work on that road until the spring of 2017.

Sidewalks increase pedestrian safety, may deter speeding

Both Pleasant and Chestnuts Streets are major thoroughfares in Franklin, Massachusetts and both sorely needed sidewalks.

While each street had a very limited amount of sidewalks already in place, long stretches of Chestnut and Pleasant previously lacked any sidewalks. The dearth of sidewalks put pedestrians on these busy streets at risk and encouraged drivers to travel a high rates of speed. Town officials have been said that they expect that the new sidewalks help discourage speeding while enhancing the safety of walkers and joggers.

Crosswalk for DelCarte property

Included in the sidewalk project was a crosswalk with light across Pleasant Street at the DelCarte Recreation and Conservation Area.

This will help area residents walk to DelCarte. If you don’t know the DelCarte recreation area, it’s well worth a visit! There are walking trails affording pretty views of ponds and wildlife . . .

. . . and the fishing is a lot of fun for young anglers!

Sidewalk construction work creates busy scene

All the construction on Chestnut and Pleasant Streets made for some minor traffic delays and provided quite some interesting views of busy workers and construction equipment over the summer and fall of 2016:

It’s good to see Franklin putting money into capital upgrades! Franklin also is in the midst of an expansion of its Senior Center and undertaking major upgrades to the historic Franklin Town Library.

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Sample some of the best food in the region this Tuesday

Warren Reynolds — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 12:12:43 +0000

You’re invited to enjoy a delicious array of the best cuisine creations from many of the area’s top eateries and caterers at the upcoming “Taste of the Region” food extravaganza being held this Tuesday, October 27 from 6 PM – 9PM at the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin, MA.

Sponsored by The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, this popular annual event is your chance to partake in all-you-can-eat samplings of appetizers, main courses and desert items and vote for the best foods and culinary displays. You are invited to support the Franklin Food Pantry by bringing a donation of a non-perishable food item.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Many food providers at this year’s event

Here are some of the establishments that will be showcasing their wares at this year’s event:

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Fishing at Beaver Pond Recreation Area in Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 15:27:47 +0000

The Beaver Pond Recreation Area in Franklin, MA a super spot for fishing. It’s perfect for young anglers and is right in town with plenty of parking. And Beaver Pond is just one of many recreational resources enriching life at this prime I-495 community in Massachusetts.

The Beaver Pond Recreation Area is not just for fishing! It also offers a town beach for swimming, a synthetic turf ball field, a playground for young children, a boat launch, and a walking trail.

Fishing fun at Beaver Pond

Here’s a video of a recent fishing adventure at Beaver Pond in Franklin, Massachusetts:

Many recreational opportunities in Franklin

Franklin, Massachusetts enjoys a rare mix of a vibrant business environment with lots of recreational opportunities – so much so that the town was recognized by CNNMoney.com as one of the top ten communities in the US in which to prosper financially and have fun outdoors, too!

Here are links to just some of the many recreational resources in Franklin, MA:

Check out all that Franklin, Massachusetts has to offer – don’t overlook the great Franklin public schools and beautiful new Franklin High School!

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Flag football in Franklin

Warren Reynolds — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:54:10 +0000

Franklin, Massachusetts is celebrating twenty years of NFL Flag Football in 2020. The non-contact sport for kids is conducted at the synthetic turf field at the Beaver Pond Recreation Area in Franklin, MA.

Franklin youth sports just one reason home buyers flock to Franklin, MA

Franklin, Massachusetts has a lot of what today’s home buyers are looking for. Franklin offers so much to buyers that it has won a number of “best community” awards in recent years. Franklin has great public schools, a commuter-friendly location with train service to Boston, prime subdivisions of attractive housing, superb shopping, and a rich array of recreational resources. Those recreational resources include Franklin’s truly remarkable youth sports programs. You can download a guide to Franklin, MA’s youth sports offerings here, or in the hotlink in the image below:

Flag football one of many highly successful youth sports programs in town

Franklin flag football is for children aged 6 – 15 and is now one of the largest flag football programs in the state. Participation has grown from 37 players on 4 teams back when the program got underway to today’s 470 kids competing on 36 teams.

115 coaches administer five age divisions (6 year, 7 year, 8-9 years, 10 -11 year, 12-14). The program is so large that field time is split into three shifts starting 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:15 PM, respectively).

Download Franklin Flag Football guide

You can download Franklin’s guide to its flag football program here or via the hotlink in the image below:

Franklin’s flag football program has been so successful because flag football allows kids to get outside and have fun with the sport without the significant risk of injury inherent in contact football. Flag football also requires much less of a time commitment than traditional contact football youth programs. (Franklin’s flag football is played on only 2 evenings a week as opposed to contact programs’ typical 5 day a week schedules).

Residents of Franklin owe a big debt of gratitude to the Franklin Recreation Department for the wonderful job it is doing for the children of Franklin!

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Franklin Sculpture Park another reason to love Franklin

Warren Reynolds — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 12:22:36 +0000

If you are unfamiliar with Franklin, MA, the most important thing you should know is that this community of 32,000 on Interstate 495 in suburban Massachusetts offers residents a delightful “small town America” ambiance with superior schools, quality shopping, easy access to Greater Boston, Providence and Worcester, along with a wonderfully broad array of cultural, recreational and entertainment resources.

Spend some quiet time with art

Franklin’s newest outdoor cultural asset is the Sculpture Park located on Panther Way near the Franklin Police Headquarters.

The Park was built on the site of the former town swimming pool.

Old retaining walls and dams remain, creating water habitats for wildlife and a peaceful environment for human visitors. There are picnic tables and an attractive bridge that leads to the art exhibits. Franklin is fortunate to have a readily accessible spot to take in art and to see wildlife enjoying the resource as well!

Video of Franklin Sculpture Park

The video above shows what you’ll find to enjoy at the Franklin Sculpture Park.

Dance exhibition at the Park

A dance exhibition was recently performed at the Franklin Sculpture Park as part of the Franklin Cultural Festival.

In the above video you’ll see the talents of students at the Palladino School of Dance at Dean College in Franklin, MA. As described on Dean College’s website, the Palladino School of Dance is recognized as one of the top dance programs in New England, offering conservatory-level instruction in ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop and tap dancing.

The Palladino School and Dean College are just a part of the vibrant arts and culture scene in Franklin, Massachusetts. Building on Franklin cultural resources, the town is in the process of establishing a Franklin Cultural District. The District will further cement Franklin as a “destination community” for home buyers seeking a great place to live in the suburbs of Greater Boston!

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