Friends of West Acton Boardwalk

The West Acton Boardwalk Project

The West Acton Boardwalk traverses the Fort Pond Brook wetlands and connects the Indian Village neighborhood/ Douglas Elementary School area with the West Acton/ Gates Elementary School area. The Boardwalk presence promotes healthy outdoor lifestyles and the preservation of open space and pathways so important to Acton residents. The Boardwalk minimizes the impact of human interaction on the wetlands habit and encourages better recreational and educational use of this wetland site.

Over the past few years, sections of the 20 year old West Acton Boardwalk, have deteriorated and floated away due to the age of the structure, heavy snow/rain volumes, and a change in the water flow pattern. The current condition of the Boardwalk threatens its survival as a viable pathway as it is impassable when flooded, and flood damage has left the structure vulnerable and broken.

The Friends of the West Acton Boardwalk

The Friends of the West Acton Boardwalk is a recently formed group of parents, educators and concerned citizens who want to preserve and protect the wetlands environment of Fort Pond Brook. The Boardwalk is used by many people in our community and it has become an integral part of the way school children, walkers, joggers and nature observers relate to their surrounding environment. Our goal is to preserve the open space and recreational usage of the site as an alternative to the inevitable damage that would result from the Boardwalk’s deterioration.

GRANT WORK

The West Acton Boardwalk Committee submitted a Community Preservation Act application for funding in the Fall of 2008. After vetting of the project in Community Preservation Commission (CPC) meetings, it was determined that the West Acton Boardwalk does not readily qualify for CPC funding due to a recent change in Massachusetts’ law restricting monies to recreational projects. Pending state legislation may change the CPC guidelines for the coming years, and the West Acton Boardwalk Committee is monitoring these developments in the possibility that the Boardwalk may qualify for CPC support in a coming year. The Boardwalk Committee is also pursuing other grant opportunities on a local, state and federal level.

How Can You Help the Boardwalk Project?

Thank you for visiting the West Acton Boardwalk web site. Before leaving the website please make sure to send your email address to info@westacton.net so that we may include you in updates about the Boardwalk project!

Monetary Contributions to the Boardwalk Project

Friends of the West Acton Boardwalk is currently preparing grant proposals from a variety of sources as well as looking for donations from local corporations. We would very much appreciate financial support from local families and neighborhoods as well as local businesses. This will not only help in raising the necessary funds, but will also show local and wide spread support for the Boardwalk project as we continue to apply for grant monies. We gratefully accept donations of any amount!

If you would like to make a donation, please make a check payable to the Acton Public Schools, with "WEST ACTON BOARDWALK" clearly indicated in the memo section. The accounting offices of the Acton Public Schools has kindly allowed us to use their services in a gift account to hold and distribute monies for the Boardwalk project. Please mail your check to: The Friends of the West Acton Boardwalk, c/o Christine Phillips, 16 Jackson Drive, Acton, MA 01720.

If you have any questions, or would like to be a part of the Boardwalk Committee, please contact:

Christine Phillips and Pat Easterly, info@westacton.net

- Photos of the new boardwalk!

- Photos of the old boardwalk

- sketch of existing conditions (PDF)*

- sketch of landscape plan (PDF)*

- Presentation from 11/3/08 meeting (PDF)

- Aerial shot of Douglas and Gates (PDF)

- Nov. 13th article from the Beacon (PDF)

- Press release for June 22 Walk-a-thon (Word doc)

* courtesy of Ryan Associates Landscape Architecture & Planning.