Trail Conference blazing trail of approval

November 19, 2009
Chris Nesi
Mahwah Suburban News

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Trail Conference blazing trail of approval

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After spending the three weeks since the last council meeting devising alternate solutions, the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference seems well on their way to striking a compromise with council members.

The non-profit organization, whose focus is building, maintaining and protecting hiking trails in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan region, has been working to rehabilitate the historic Darlington Schoolhouse, which it jointly owns with the township. The conference intends to re-open the building to the public and repurpose it as the conference headquarters. . . .

 After exploring . . .alternatives, the Trail Conference has the "strong conclusion" that the only feasible option is to share parking at Continental Soldiers Park.

For this to happen, a trail would need to be built. The trail would start at the rear of the skate park area, and continue through the woods and over Darlington Brook to the schoolhouse. The trail would be lit by bollard lights, which Norin said would only be on during conference meetings.

According to the plans discussed, the trail would be discretely placed, and the bridge to be built over the brook would be gated and locked. The township would be insured and indemnified by the conference at no cost.

Councilman John Roth, who expressed concerns about the initial plan at the previous meeting, praised the conference's effort to come up with alternatives, saying it did a "fairly creative job solving problems raised by the council."