Wolfeboro board approves Abenaki trail work after local single-track group joins NEMBA

Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen on April 9 approved work at the town-owned Abenaki recreation area after hearing a presentation from Chris Dow, president of the Greater Wolfeboro chapter of NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike Association). The board also agreed to schedule a public hearing to accept donated funds and asked staff to review a trail-builder contract before work begins.

The vote followed a presentation about the chapter’s recent merger into NEMBA, how that changes insurance and governance, and a detailed plan for 2025 trail work at Abenaki. "One of the benefits of merging with NEMBA is a lot of our requirements for filing with 5 0 1(c)(3) and insurance ... have now been able to be transferred to NEMBA," Chris Dow said. Mary McCarthy, secretary of the NEMBA executive committee, said regional NEMBA carries the insurance and offered to share revised bylaws once they are finalized.

Why it matters: Abenaki is town-owned land; the board must sign amendments to the license/MOU and accept donated funds before town-managed construction can begin. The work approved is intended to increase trail separation (to reduce conflicts among uphill/downhill users), add an easier “green flow” downhill option for beginners, and create trail “hubs” where trails converge and users can rest or slow down.

Dow described the 2025 scope as three main elements: create a green flow (an easier, flow-style downhill trail he estimated at about a mile and a half), add two intermediate “blue” lines (including an Enduro-style route), and further separate existing singletrack from cross-country ski trails. The board discussed a detailed map Dow showed; several selectmen requested further cartographic detail, GPS coordinates for rescue purposes and additional signage. Selectmen suggested QR-code‑linked signs so trail users can pull a map to their phones at trail junctions.

Board members and staff pressed for safety and rescue planning. Fire/rescue concerns about locating injured riders prompted suggestions to add numbered/lettered signs or QR codes; selectman comments noted that 911 location services can ping phones but that signage would speed field response. Dow said the alliance has already supplied a portable rescue litter to assist extrication.

The board and alliance also discussed one previously built boardwalk/bridge that was removed after review; Dow described options to reduce the structure height by raising surrounding grade and adding culverts, or replace with more conventional framed boardwalk to avoid railings that could snag riders. Selectmen asked the group to coordinate wetland permitting and provide any required permit documentation for town files.

Votes and next steps: A motion to approve the green flow trail, trail separations (Tommy Boy/Tomahawk/Black Eye and related work) and creation of an upper hub carried by voice vote. The board directed the town manager to schedule a public hearing to accept donated funds and asked staff to review the trail‑builder contract; formal signature of the amended license was deferred to the next meeting. Dow and staff agreed to set a site walk with selectmen before construction begins.

The alliance said it will continue volunteer maintenance and coordinate with Lakes Region Conservation Trust and the Wolfeboro cross‑country ski group to avoid seasonal conflicts. Dow and other volunteers said NEMBA’s chapter structure provides organizational continuity and insurance backing that should reduce town liability concerns.

The board recorded no timetable for final completion beyond the trail builder’s estimate that construction would likely begin in June or July when ground conditions are drier.