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Danvers resident seeks town approval to restore and reopen Swamp Walk
Summary
Resident George Saludo asked the Select Board for support to raise $15,000 and begin volunteer-led repairs to reopen an elevated nature walkway known as Swamp Walk; board members expressed verbal support and town staff said donations must be accepted formally when received.
George Saludo told the Town of Danvers Select Board on Oct. 7 that Swamp Walk — an elevated, one-third-mile nature walkway at the north end of the Davis Veil Trail — is closed and needs repairs and fundraising before it can reopen to the public.
Saludo said the walk features observation platforms, picnic spots and teaching uses for Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School students, and that volunteers originally built the walkway about 15 years ago. He said volunteers now aim to raise $15,000 for materials, landscaping and maintenance and to complete the restoration next spring under the supervision of the original project lead from the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. "We have a plan for restoration," Saludo said, and said volunteers and a social media donation page are ready to start fundraising immediately.
The request drew questions about administration and accounting. Select Board members and the town manager discussed how donated funds would be handled. The manager indicated that a special fund already exists as an attachment to an existing town account — described in the meeting as the Rail Trail account — and that any donations placed into town custody must be formally accepted by the town when they arrive. The board did not take a formal vote on the request at the Oct. 7 meeting because the item was not on the agenda; members said they would put the item on the next meeting agenda if a formal acceptance vote is needed.
Board members said they were supportive in principle. One member noted that because Swamp Walk sits on Danvers-managed land, the town manager has the operational authority to approve volunteer work and fundraising logistics; several members offered to provide a statement of municipal support for Saludo to take to Wenham, since part of the rail-trail area lies in that neighboring town.
Saludo also described the walkway’s history and funding, saying volunteers built it with private donations and that "no taxpayer funds were used." He said some planks are missing or broken and a short section needs additional bracing but that "the entire walkway is still in sound shape" and can be restored by spring.
What happens next: Select Board members agreed to express support and to place a formal item on a future meeting agenda so the board can consider any required authorizations and formally accept donations into town custody if and when they are received.
(Article notes: Statements about past funding and the $15,000 fundraising goal are as stated by speaker George Saludo at the meeting.)
