Nahant open space board to detail five-year goals

NAHANT-The Nahant Open Space Committee is preparing to submit a five-year plan to the state.Chairman Linda Pivacek said without the plan, the town would not be eligible for grants and funding from the state to address open space concerns and projects in town.According to Pivacek, the state requires the open space plan to detail five-year goals, a five-year action plan and update the report in regards to all open spaces in town.Pivacek said some of the goals, which were developed with a lot of community input, include completing the 1.6-mile recreational trail in town. When complete, the trail will start at Short Beach, cross Nahant Road at the Short Beach Parking Lot crossing and continue through the Lowlands. From there it will cross Flash Road at the fire station and continue around the back of the Little League fields, onto Kelley Greens Golf Course to Bailey’s Hill.Pivacek said another goal is to establish a heritage trail in town with an accompanying street guide and brochure.?We want to put up historical signs,” she said. “When the project is done we want to have a community village walk.”The Open Space Plan also requires the town to inventory vegetation and wildlife, including the vast numbers of birds that frequent the area.?Nahant has been designated an important bird area,” she said. “It meets criteria for that designation based on the number of species of birds we have and the number of birds within each species.”Pivacek said the Open Space Committee, which consists of seven members, does not hire consultants or anyone to write the plan.?We do it all,” she said. “We’ve very fortunate we have a talented group of people on the committee that are dedicated to getting this done.”Nahant Town Administrator Mark Cullinan said the Open Space Committee has done an excellent job on the plan and he appreciates the countless hours the committee put in.