In addition to maintaining and improving its system of trails in Gorham which include Claire Drew Trail, High School to Weeks Road parcel and Tannery Brook Preserve, the Gorham Conservation Commission (GCC) has exciting plans for two major expansions which will greatly increase public access to trails in Gorham.

According to GCC Chairman, Rob Lavoie, work is underway to obtain permits in order to build a multi-use trail that will connect Tannery Brook Preserve and the Pheasant Knoll community to the village center. This trail will begin at the new subdivision being built off Glenwood Drive (off Water Street) and located behind the Burger King Plaza, and will connect to existing Tannery Brook trails. They hope to break ground some time next year. Lavoie said, “This is a significant and costly project as it involves building a 300 foot boardwalk over a marsh. It will also give our residents beautiful views of the Tannery Brook wetlands and the wildlife that inhabits it.”

GCC is also working toward making the “Crosstown Trail” a reality. Much of the trail will sit on the old railroad bed that runs east/west through town. According to Lavoie, “Our vision is to create a continuous trail from the Middle School heading north towards the High School and continuing east all the way to the Industrial Park, connecting existing neighborhoods along the way.” This project involves reaching out to key landowners to ask for trail easements. These parcel easements will allow GCC to connect missing links along the corridor. From the Industrial Park, they plan to continue the trail to connect with Westbrook and also provide a spur heading over towards Beals Ice Cream.

Claire Drew trail, located behind Narragansett school and the Public Safety buildings, got a major makeover with trail resurfacing and cutting back of overgrowth. Thanks to hardworking volunteers like Justin Verrill of V&M Construction, the smoother surface will make it easier to push a stroller on this trail. Tannery Brook has been mowed and a rotted bridge at the end of Weeks Road has been replaced thanks to the generosity of Jon Smith and his family.

Another big improvement are the trail maps that can now be found at the trailhead kiosks at Claire Drew and Tannery Brook Preserve. The new Weeks Road map will be available as soon as the kiosk at the trailhead behind the middle school is installed. Volunteer John Sturm and committee member, Bill Moreno, worked hard to make these maps available.

You can visit the GCC website here or their Facebook page here to see PDF maps of its properties as well as beautiful photos.