Frequently Asked Questions
What is Phase 2?
Phase 2 is a northward 2.2 mile extension of the existing Rec Path, from Cranmore to the Intervale Scenic Vista. Phase 2 will look exactly like the existing paved path from Hemlock Ln. to Cranmore.
Where exactly is the path located within Whitaker Woods?
The path will skirt the northern border of the town land, entirely north of the powerline. The great majority of Whitaker Woods will remain as it is today - this is a single paved path, among 25 other dirt and woodchipped paths that will remain the same.
How was paving chosen for this single pathway?
MWVTA and the Town have done years of work getting public input and researching appropriate surfaces, starting in 2012 and including multiple public hearings and a community needs assessment. Through this process, the Mount Washington Valley Trails Association in conjunction with the Conway Town Staff, Planning Staff, and Board of Selectmen opted to create a single paved recreational path from the Fryeburg line to the Bartlett line in Intervale, as an entry-level and accessible backbone of our wider dirt trail network.
Paving allows all of our community to access a public path. Paving provides a stable, firm, and sustainably ADA-compliant surface that can be enjoyed by users with mobility issues, require mobility aids, or for other reasons (strollers, etc.) cannot or will not use non-paved surfaces. Our outreach has consistently revealed that community members are much more likely to use a paved path because everyone knows what a paved surface provides. Moreover, Federal grants require consistent ADA compliance and 20 years longevity, which can only be achieved reliably with pavement.
Where did the idea of a Rec Path through Whitaker Woods come from?
The section of this paved path through Whitaker was first approved by the Board of Selectmen and the Conservation Commission in 2014, and the Selectmen applied for funding for this paved section in 2014. At the April town meeting in 2015, the citizens of Conway voted to allow the Selectmen to apply for any grant funding to be used to construct the path in Whitaker Woods. The original source of funding was not approved by the granting agency in 2014.
The MWVTA was finally able to obtain funding for the project in 2022, with the support of the Selectmen. This funding was based upon a realignment of the path corridor to move out of the most heavily used area of Whitaker Woods, and locate the path on the northern perimeter. The final location of the path was set on a site walk with Town staff, members of the Conservation Commission, and members of the public.
Has this plan been discussed in public?
We have held over 12 publicly noticed hearings on the path through Whitaker as the plan developed. The meetings were all duly noticed, open to the public, and recorded by valley vision. Every step has been fully transparent and open for public comment.
What is the Whitaker Woods deed restriction and how does it affect the path?
When the Town purchased the Whitaker Woods property from Chubby Whitaker, it used grant funds from the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, which required a deed restriction mandating that the land conveyed “shall be used for public recreational purposes and shall be maintained forever in a wild and natural state.” Currently, there is no avenue for some members of our community who have mobility challenges or require mobility aids to recreate in Whitaker Woods, or access its wild and natural beauty. This single paved path provides this accessible alternative for everyone, and balances the goals of outdoor recreation and public access with the wild and natural goal for Whitaker. Whitaker Woods is a public park for everyone – not for just a specific group, a specific sport, or a specific ability level. Moreover, the history of the use of the property has included widening, grading, excavating, and surfacing pathways for different uses and user groups (including both skate and classic cross country skiing), and this single paved path is an extension of this pathmaking history in order to create a path for those with mobility challenges or who simply prefer a paved pathway.
How much will the path cost and who will pay for it?
The project is projected to cost $3,200,000 including design, engineering, and
construction. $1,000,000 has been donated by the Connie Davis Watson Foundation and $2,200,000 was granted through an Economic Development grant. Town of Conway property taxes will not be used to construct the path.
Who will pay for maintaining the trail?
Under the existing 2015 agreement between MWVTA and the Town, MWVTA will be responsible for maintaining the trail unless the Town decides to take ownership and maintenance of the trail as it did for Phase 1 of the Rec Path.
How will traffic, pedestrian safety, and environmental concerns be addressed?
Pedestrian safety issues, environmental review, ground disturbance, parking matters, and appropriate rail crossings are all being handled by licensed professional engineers at HEB Engineering, overseen at all times by Town engineering staff and appropriate permitting authorities.
Why not just put the matter on the Town Warrant in 2025?
After multiple public hearings, the Town already voted in 2015 to give the Selectmen the authority to apply for any grant relative to the Whitaker section of the Rec Path. Since then, MWVTA and the Town have followed the correct and legal process for path development (including publicly discussing the paving and location questions), with over 12 publicly noticed hearings, a public site walk, and approvals being final in 2022 and 2023. The objections to this project have been heard and considered, on multiple occasions – however the underlying premise of this Project – a single accessible pathway – has prevailed. Moreover, based upon those approvals, MWVTA and its donors have paid the Town over $350,000.00, which has been spent by the Town on designing the paved path. The grant funding cannot be used on another project, so if the objectors are successful in overturning the Town’s approvals, the $300,000 spent to date in design engineering will be lost, as will the remaining $700,000 CDW funding and the $2,200,000 EDA grant funds.
