Greater Access to Nature at Mount Tom State Reservation

Beautiful ten acre Lake Bray at Mount Tom.

Now that late summer is arriving and mosquitoes are just a bit less pesky, consider an outing at Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke, MA, where a recently built bridge across the wilder backwaters of Lake Bray offers a new view of the park to visitors with mobility limitations in the Connecticut River Valley.

The trail extension project, initiated by the Mount Tom Advocacy Group,drew upon community resources to expand the existing universally accessible woodland trail system. Bill Finn, a member of the Advocacy Group, wrote a proposal for funding which was granted by the federally funded Recreational Trails Grant Program. With a $7000 award, help from the Appalachian Mountain Club and other volunteers, the entire project cost 1/10 of what it would have cost had the work been done with contractors. The new trail provides better grading and 3 bridges to bring hikers more easily to a wetland area at the back of Lake Bray that is rich with wildlife. Kudos to all the volunteers who put in over 800 man hours to complete the project!!

Dunn State Park - Great Park for Access!

Perfect weather for the ADA celebration!

The Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council (MASILC) just held a 23rd Anniversary Celebration of the Americans With Disabilities Act at Dunn State Park in Gardner on August 2^nd. 

Dunn State Park is a 130 acre day use facility with a 20 acre pond, shaded picnic tables, wooded trails, waterfront swimming area, fishing docks, play area and clean indoor restrooms in the Pond House. It is a beautiful spot just north of downtown Gardner on Route 101 in north central Massachusetts. Every activity people come to the park to do is wheelchair accessible!