Horse Hill Nature Preserve Ad-Hoc Committee
In late January, the committee met and was asked by Town Staff to assist with the preliminary data collection towards developing the Definitive Plan. During this meeting, the committee was asked to create 6 sub-committees to research various aspects of the property. These sub-committees include the following:
Athletic Fields Sub-Committee: Responsible for researching and suggesting an
appropriate location for an Athletic Complex as recommended in the Master
Plan. An area in the Northwest section
of the property was suggested later in the year.
Cleanup Sub-Committee: This sub-committee coordinated a Trail Walk
and Cleanup Day attended by more than 40 people, removed approximately 10
automobile remains, and cataloged the remaining large trash items on the
property.
Funding Sub-Committee: Responsible for researching funding methods
to perform any development suggested in the Definitive Plan and as is needed
for maintenance. This committee worked
to create a suggested Donation Account, line item in the Town Budget, and collected
information on many grant possibilities.
Historic Sub-Committee: Responsible for researching the history and
historic aspects of Horse Hill Nature Preserve.
In 2004, this committee researched the history and started to catalog
related aspects of the property.
Parking Sub-Committee: Responsible for planning a Parking and access
location as was suggested in the Master Plan.
This sub-committee worked with members of Town Staff to plan for, gather
volunteer labor, and start the appropriate permitting process to create a
Parking Area off of
Trails Sub-Committee: Responsible for creating a Trails Master Plan
and suggesting the locations of appropriate Trails for the various uses
recommended in the Master Plan. In 2004,
this committee created the outline and initial detail of the Trails Master
Plan. Trail locations for new, rerouted,
and discontinued trails were also determined.
The Trails Master Plan outline was submitted for Town Staff review.
In other work, the committee assisted Town Staff with erecting Wetland Signs to inform users where sensitive areas exist. The committee worked with Town Staff, the Board of Selectmen, and the Merrimack Conservation Commission to have a Forest Management and Ecological Assessment Study done for the property by Bay State Forestry Service. Late in the year, members of the committee along with the Parks Forman erected “Permitted Use” signs showing the allowed activities that can occur. The year ended with a Board of Selectmen Roundtable to update the Board along side of Town Staff and to seek permission to continue with the proposed Parking Area off of Amherst Road.