Trails committee installs benches, plans storage and volunteer work party

The Southborough Trails Committee said it has placed three benches at trail locations and is holding the remaining benches until placement permissions are confirmed. Committee member Kat McKee said the group had installed three benches and described their locations, including a spot on the Bay Circuit Trail off Clemons and Nichols and a bench near the Sudbury Reservoir kiosk at the Route 30 triangle. McKee said the committee will contact the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to confirm permission for a bench at a Deerfoot location and suggested chaining or anchoring as backup methods if installation rules limit permanence. The nut graf: Committee members emphasized maintenance and logistics — volunteers will do basic upkeep and the group scheduled a work party to move stored wood into a shed ahead of winter to clear space for remaining benches. Committee members discussed short-term storage and volunteer maintenance. McKee offered that “the trails committee can volunteer to be the weed whacker around these” benches if mowing or clearance becomes an issue. The group also noted a tarp covering stored wood is deteriorating and that relocating the pile into the shed before snow would help the site’s recovery and seeding. The committee set a work party for Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8:30 a.m. to move wood into the shed and said the benches could be stored temporarily off site if final placement permission is delayed. Separately, members discussed anchoring methods (drill-in anchors or chains) and short-term storage options: on the wood pile, in members’ homes, or at locations volunteered by committee members if MWRA approval for placement is pending. Ending: The committee plans to follow up with MWRA on bench placement, complete the wood move on Oct. 4, and revisit bench placement and anchoring at the committee’s next meeting.