The bulk of the storm has passed, and as the sun comes up, cleanup will start.
It is a snow day, so sledding is on everyone’s mind. We already have a popular “go-to” guide on the COSS website with thousands of views and numerous shares:
Chelmsford Sledding 101: What You Need to know
A few things to keep in mind today.
Roads and town buildings always come first. Open space parking lots are usually last on the list. Every once in a while someone clears an open space lot, and if anyone happens to do that today, I would suggest Koulas so families can sled. Even clearing a small section would help plenty of people.
Storybook Trail update. The snow has made the Storybook Trail not passable. Even though we would love to get out and clear it like we have for the last 10 years, the new winter protocol no longer allows that, so it will remain closed until it becomes passable again.
If this were a year ago, we would already be setting up a crew and firing up the snowblower to clear the Storybook Trail, the connection to the rail trail, the key access roads, and the area around the gardens. It took hours, and COSS supplied everything, including the equipment.
If we are ever asked to return, and if Sunny Meadow has winter plans that truly need that level of access, we will come back and help if requested. I just do not see that in the cards moving forward under the current long-term plans.
No on-street parking today, which really limits where you can go. If you find a lot that is plowed and passable, please post it so we can update residents.
Trail note. Trails are fairly well marked, but it is easy to get off trail when the snow is this deep. We used to walk many of them so people could find their way, and hopefully the new conservation crew can take that on since it is a big job. I expect Koulas trails will get walked today, and they are wide enough that they should be easy to follow once packed.
Want to build a snowman? Bartlett Park is a great choice, and you can warm up with coffee or hot chocolate at Old Mill Coffee. Please post photos if you go.
My plan today. First I will clear my own driveway, then help a few others who need extra help. After that I will head to Sunny Meadow to evaluate greenhouse conditions. It is a lot of snow, and it is fluffy, so sledding may be slow at first, but once it gets packed down, it should be an ideal day for winter fun.
I will also post updates once I see whether places like Roberts Field and Heart Pond have skating areas cleared. With this being powder, I would not expect many trees down, which is good news.
It is a snow day for me too, so I will be doing classwork at home, listening to the radio, and enjoying a fire. This is New England. Every season is different, and that is part of what makes life interesting.
Side note.
This is one of the few times each year when nobody complains about DPW trucks being out in the middle of the night driving around and making noise.
I was woken up a few times by the lights and the sound of the plow going by. I just said “thank you,” rolled over, and went right back to sleep in my warm, comfy bed.
So many people were out last night making sure we could get around town this morning. I know CPD and CFD were monitoring everything and ready to help anyone who needed it.
Thank you to everyone who worked through the night, and thank you to National Grid as well for keeping the lights on.
Snow Day in New England
A quiet town under fresh powder, plows working through the night, and that rare morning when everything slows down just enough to notice how lucky we are to live here.