EASTHAMPTON — A long-held desire of the city to provide accessible trails leading up to a scenic view at the top of Mount Tom begins with the acquisition of a privately owned 12-acre land parcel on East Street.
The city is seeking a $400,000 grant from the state to purchase a portion of land owned by Kay Burnett’s estate that would be permanently protected as part of the overall Mt. Tom Trailhead Partnership Project. The land parcel, along with an adjacent 10-acre parcel, would be used for public recreation with handicap accessible trails as well as provide a lookout with views over the Oxbow Marina, according to City Planner Jeffrey Bagg.
“This would allow hikers looking for the New England Scenic Trail to park and go into Mount Tom and access the trail,” Bagg said on Wednesday. “We want to provide access to a wider range of people along with avid hikers to get onto the trail… This is special and unique because you will be able to access Mount Tom.”
The city worked in partnership with the Kestrel Land Trust, Pascommuck Conservation Land Trust, and the private landowner to secure an option agreement for the property that would allow the city one year to acquire the necessary funding to purchase it no later than September 2019.
“This is really a terrific project and represents a rare opportunity where the city, conservation groups, and the property owner have found common ground to work towards protecting a highly desirable piece of land and provide new access to recreational opportunities for the people of Easthampton and the region,” Bagg said.
Currently, the city’s Finance Subcommittee is reviewing a plan to use Community Preservation Act money to buy the property contingent on the grant being awarded. The City Council would have to approve it after the subcommittee, but the city will not know if it is awarded the grant until December.
“There will be no other action until the grant is awarded,” Bagg said. “Then we enter the process of closing on the purchasing of the property over the winter, and then the city would formally take ownership next spring or summer … It would not happen immediately, the trail building and parking lot building are contingent on grants from the state.”
The Mt. Tom Trailhead Partnership Project would consist of a total of 23 acres across two parcels of land, the second being an 11.5-acre parcel that the Kestrel Land Trust is simultaneously trying to acquire.
With the purchase of the property being phase one of the project, the next phase would be to acquire funding to create a parking area, a trailhead gathering area, informational kiosks, and access from the city to the State Reservation trail system and the New England National Scenic Trail. From the parking area up to a scenic viewpoint, the route will be accessible to users of all abilities.
This would fulfill several goals of the city’s Open Space and Recreation Plan and master plan, Bagg said.
“(The project) is within the city’s long-term vision,” Bagg said. “People have been interested in the parcel for the past two decades, and although securing funding for trail access will take some time, we wouldn’t be able to do it without getting the land acquisition first.”
Luis Fieldman can be reached at lfieldman@gazettenet.com