Swampscott walking trail group to hold bike sale

SWAMPSCOTT – The Swampscott Rail Trail Committee will be holding its second annual used bike sale on Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. at the basketball court on the lower field at Swampscott High School, 200 Essex St.Donations of used bicycles, Rollerblades, helmets and scooters will be accepted from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the basketball court.Swampscott Partnership Initiative Rails Into Trails (SPIRIT) has been advocating the walking trail for more than a decade. A Recreation Trail Study Committee was formed after a Town Meeting vote in 2003 and a vote at the 2005 Town Meeting authorized creation of a recreational trail in town. In 2006, Town Meeting authorized selectmen to negotiate with National Grid or take by eminent domain property belonging to the utility company for a recreational trail through an old rail bed, but progress has been slow. The proposed 1.3-mile recreational trail would start at Walker Road and continue to the Swampscott/Marblehead line where it would intersect the Marblehead Recreational trail.Marc Barden, who is on the committee, said the title search is a time consuming and expensive process.”We are working with the town administrator and town counsel,” he said. “They are advising us and asked us to conduct a more formal title search and get an appraisal update so the town can negotiate with National Grid regarding the use of the property.”Barden said fundraising has been at a grassroots level to date.”Many funding organizations shy away from granting planning funds,” he said. “It’s tough to get grants until we have secured permission to use the property and we haven’t been able to do that yet.”According to Barden, if the project is to go forward it could be necessary to take a recreational easement through the property by eminent domain. Barden added the committee is only looking for an easement to use the property for recreational purposes, not outright ownership, and precedent has already been set for this type of easement.Not everyone is in favor of the trail, however. At numerous public meetings over the years, opponents expressed concern about a loss of tax revenue to the town and whether some of the property along the trail route belongs to private homeowners, not the utility company.