Grand Opening Celebration for Dedham Water Trail

DEDHAM, Ma.  August 1, 2013 – The Town of Dedham will celebrate the opening of the new Dedham Water Trail canoe & kayak launch on Saturday, August 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dolan Recreation Center, 269 Common Street, Dedham.  .

The family-friendly event will kick-off with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. with local dignitaries in attendance. The event will feature food and games provided by local Dedham businesses, guided nature walks, and face painting. Demonstrations of river activities provided by L.L. Bean will include stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and fly-fishing.  Kayakers, canoers and runners are encouraged to enter in the first annual Dedham Water Trail Challenge and Dedham Trails Run to take place as part of the festivities. The Trail Run, sponsored by Solid Body Fitness, will begin shortly after the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:45 a.m. and will lead runners through DCR’s Wilson Mountain. The Dedham Water Trail Challenge will commence at noon.

The new canoe and kayak launch was constructed and paid for by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Fishing and Boating Access at a cost of $99,000. It includes parking for eight vehicles with adjacent river access to the Dedham Water Trail.

“We are excited to partner with the Town of Dedham in improving access to the Charles River for those who enjoy canoeing, kayaking, and fishing,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin. “The Charles River is a great natural resource and we encourage people to help protect it and get out and take advantage of everything it has to offer.”

The Dedham Water Trail is a continuous loop approximately 7.2 miles long on the Charles River with markers indicating sixteen sites of historic and ecological significance.  The markers are keyed to information in a new Dedham Water Trail map available at launch sites, Legacy Place,  Dedham Square shops and restaurants or for download at www.dedhamtrails.org/water-trails.  

The Dedham Water Trail is the only continuous loop on the Charles River because of the Long Ditch cut-through in Cutler Marsh. There are currently five public launch sites along the Dedham Water Trail of which several are adjacent to the many acres of Dedham’s parks and conservation lands.  New interpretive signs have also been located at three locations along the trail including the new launch site at the Dolan Center and at launch points at the Needham Street Bridge and Town Landing Launch off High Street. 

The project is supported by a partnership with L.L. Bean corporation, which has donated two canoes and four kayaks to the Dedham Parks & Recreation program for public classes and events, which will be available to Dedham residents beginning this summer. 

The Town of Dedham received funding from the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Recreational Trails program to create the Dedham Water Trail. Virginia LeClair, Dedham’s Environmental Coordinator spoke about the project saying, “What makes this project really special is what a true community partnership it has been - from the tremendous support of the Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen to the Parks and Recreation Department and Department of Public Works to the numerous organizations that have stepped up to help complete the vision of the Water Trail, such as Troop 1 Islington Boy Scouts of America. This project would not have been possible without help from the community and Hebrew SeniorLife, NewBridge on the Charles, Legacy Place, L.L. Bean, Whole Foods, New Balance, Merrell, Solid Body Fitness and the Dedham Land Trust, all of whom have been enormous supporters and great partners in this journey.”

The event is free and open to the public.  Anyone interested in participating in the Dedham Water Trail Challenge and Dedham Trails Run can register at the Dedham Trails Facebook page facebook.com/Dedham Trails/events. You can also find more information on the Dedham Water Trail and the entire Dedham Trails system at www.dedhamtrails.org or follow us on Twitter at Dedham Trails.