The town’s 9.25-acre Middlesex Canal Conservation Area at 120P Riverneck Road could offer a nice opportunity for more outdoor access in East Chelmsford.
The effort to preserve this land goes back more than 50 years. In 1975, Town Meeting unanimously approved $15,000 to purchase the property for conservation purposes. In June 2023, the Conservation Commission voted 7–0 to support creating three or four parking spaces on the conservation parcel.
There are no trails on the site right now, but I walked it a few years ago and thought a route was possible: a trail following the old canal in one direction, with the return trip along the public road. That was my observation, not an approved trail plan.
You can still see parts of the Middlesex Canal as you walk the property. Those remnants could be a real highlight of a short but interesting trail. Highlighting and preserving our town’s history is important, and this is an opportunity to bring some of that history into an everyday walk.
The canal opened in 1803, connecting the Merrimack River with Boston Harbor along a 27-mile route, including about 2.4 miles through Chelmsford. It carried goods and even offered pleasure trips. The arrival of the Boston and Lowell Railroad in 1835 helped bring about its decline, and through traffic had ended by 1853. Town Historic & Cultural Preservation Plan, page 57
The Chelmsford Land Conservation Trust owns a small, well-maintained property that abuts it. Together, these properties offer roughly 10 acres of public open space in a part of town that could use more places to get outside.
Designing and installing a new trail is a rare opportunity in town these days. With the necessary review and approvals, this could make a great volunteer or Eagle Scout project, following stages very similar to the project happening at Koulas Farm.
If you’re interested in trail design and how it’s done while staying within all the guidelines, check out the 12-page “Trail Design 101: A Master Class” posted on the COSS page.
Trails? Well, who knows? But once there is a parking lot, it only makes sense to work toward a trail so people can get out and enjoy the land.
Once all the plans appear online, we’ll do a follow-up. I’ll most likely get out there for photos this weekend, after a lot of tick spray!
Property details, acquisition history, and the parking lot vote are documented in the town’s public records: the Open Space Inventory, the 1975 Town Report, and the June 27, 2023, Conservation Commission minutes.
The photo on printed page 57 is captioned “Remnant of Middlesex Canal in East Chelmsford.” The report does not identify it specifically as 120P Riverneck Road.