From The Daily Hampshire Gazette article September 16, 2014
Leeds group makes push to preserve beloved Hotel Bridge
By Chad Cain
Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
NORTHAMPTON — As a special police officer for Northampton nearly five decades ago, Chuck Dunning had frequent occasion to cross the iconic Hotel Bridge as part of his job walking the beat in Leeds.
He remembers lingering on the bridge during those walks like it was yesterday.
“In the summer time, it was always a pleasure to cross the iron bridge, stopping and admiring the scenery,” Dunning said by email from his home in Florida. “Strange. I’m now 81 and it was like yesterday that I can remember walking over the bridge. It holds great memories, as the entire village of Leeds does.”
So when Dunning heard about a fledgling effort spearheaded by the Leeds Civic Association to save the dilapidated bridge spanning the Mill River between Water and Main streets, he fired off an email offering to donate to the project.
He’s not the only one waxing nostalgic, said Heidi Stevens, the association’s vice president. “We’ve been getting emails like this from a lot of people sharing their memories about the bridge,” she said.
That’s partly why a group of Leeds residents led by the civic association is reviving a long-desired effort to raise money to restore and preserve the bridge for pedestrian use. The effort is taking on renewed significance this summer now that the bridge is on its last legs and in recent weeks has been permanently blocked off to walkers and bicyclists.
“It really is a beloved bridge here in Leeds,” Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa F. Klein said. “It has this incredible history.”
The single-lane iron truss bridge, constructed in 1880, was named after the Leeds Hotel, which was built next to it in 1885 to accommodate the village’s growing population. The historic structure is also known as Old Shepherd Road Bridge.
Over the years, the bridge became a key passage over the Mill River, first for stagecoaches and later for vehicles that served the manufacturing hub. And in more recent times, the bridge has been a popular pedestrian and bicycle way for people wanting to visit the Roberts Hill Conservation Area, Musante Beach, and the post office, among other sites.
In addition to being the oldest bridge in Northampton, the Hotel Bridge is the sixth-oldest iron bridge in the state.
“The bridge represents the heart of our community,” said Jason Johnson, chairman of the Leeds chapter of the Mill River Greenway Initiative. “The bridge is really this vital artery of transportation for a lot of members of the town.”
Fenced off
The Mill River Greenway is backing efforts to preserve the bridge as part of its overall mission to design a greenway that connects people to the river.
The bridge has been closed to vehicles since 2004 when the city installed Jersey barriers on each end. Pedestrians and bicyclists continued to cross the bridge over the last decade, despite signs warning against it. That changed about a month ago when the Department of Public Works installed a chain-link fence on both sides of the bridge to keep people off it for good.
DPW Director Edward S. Huntley said the corrugated metal decking of the deck has missing pieces and there are holes in the pavement. “Basically, someone could get really hurt up there,” he said. “You can see the water through the bridge.”
The decision to fence off the bridge was made because of findings of a recently completed engineering study that analyzed its structural integrity and pinpointed weaknesses in certain beams, among other problems. The $35,000 study completed by Stantec Consulting Service Inc. of Northampton was financed by a Community Preservation Act grant awarded last year to the DPW at the behest of the civic association.
“The impetus here is, we were still using the bridge up until last month,” said Susan Carbin, civic association president. “Now everybody is feeling the pinch.”
Carbin said people are longing to use the bridge again, which she said is “absolutely part of Leeds” and historically significant to all of Northampton.
The Stantec study pegged the bridge repairs at $1.5 million, although civic association members believe they will not need to spend near that amount to address safety issues. Carbin pointed out that $650,000 of that estimate is for painting alone, a feature that is not vital to safety.
The group intends to enlist the help of Alan Lutenegger, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and engineers who live in Leeds and want to help with the project, Stevens said.
Lutenegger said Monday that preserving these kinds of structures is an important way to understand a society’s heritage, especially in terms of engineering. While some bridges are preserved for vehicle traffic, he said, it’s just as useful to try to save them for pedestrian use.
“It’s a great learning tool for students at all levels,” he said. “To see where you’re going in the future, you need to look at where you’ve been in the past. That’s certainly true in all types of engineering.”
Historic designation
While various fundraisers have taken place over the last several years in an effort to raise money to fix the bridge, including an annual bike ride, the renewed effort by the civic association will involve a more elaborate strategy.
“The Leeds Civic Association and volunteers want to raise awareness in Leeds and throughout Northampton about the value of this bridge to the city and to the state,” Stevens said.
The civic association, with the support of the Board of Public Works and the City Council, intends to submit an application in the coming months to the Massachusetts Historical Commission seeking to have the bridge certified as an historic structure. That designation will then allow the group to apply for federal grants from the National Register of Historic Places to help pay for the repairs.
Klein said these types of iron truss bridges were only constructed for a short period of time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and about half of the bridges constructed have been lost over the last two decades. A renewed push at the federal level to save historic bridges is now underway, she said.
“There is a feeling among preservationists that we are losing key pieces of our history,” Klein said. “Preservation of historical bridges is one of the key goals for the U.S. at the federal level.”
She said the group has no intention of asking the city to use capital money for the project.
The goal is to have the bridge repaired and reopened for foot traffic, Stevens said.
While the fundraising effort is in its early stages, Stevens said in the meantime the civic association is doing what it can to beautify the area. DPW crews removed the Jersey barriers late last week and replaced them with cement planters purchased by the association. Those planters have since been filled with flowers.
In a related project, Huntley said engineering students from Smith College will study the possibility of creating a spur from the Norwottuck Rail Trail to the bridge.
In addition to its historical significance as an engineering and architectural structure, a restored bridge that’s linked to the bike path could have a positive economic impact for Leeds, Stevens believes. She said a community in Simsbury, Connecticut, that restored a similar bridge now rents it out for community events, weddings and more. The bridge is decorated with flower baskets and is a popular walking spot, she said.
“It is something that has really unified a lot of people in Leeds,” Klein said. “Everybody has a story about the bridge. It really is held in the hearts of Leeds.”
Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.
Pumpkin Party 2014 Photos
Photos taken by Pamela Cobb
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
Pumpkin Party 2014 Photos (night)
Photos taken by Nick O
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
Time for another Leeds Pumpkin Party!
October 25th, 4:30-8:30
We are mixing up a few things, and keeping some things the same. The LCA volunteers who plan this shin-dig kindly request this year that each family carve at least one pumpkin. Carve more if you can, as many as you like to make the pumpkin display the biggest and best ever. We have no specific requests of our beloved seniors, simply that they come and enjoy what the party has to offer. If seniors want to contribute by carving a pumpkin…by all means, go for it! The more the better.
Friday, October 24th, the day before the party there will be tables set up on Chestnut Street just below Upland where individuals and families can carve together. (We really are trying to make this easy for you!!) Bring your pumpkins and if possible, bring your tools.
The biggest change to this years’ party is …No Voting! Instead, there will be three grab bag categories: kid pumpkin, youth pumpkin, and family pumpkin. If you bring at least one pumpkin creation you get a grab bag prize. Who knows what your prize will be, could be something silly, delicious, or even valuable! Individual adult carvers will be eligible for the homemade apple pie raffle.
There will be hot cider and warm homemade soups to taste, and baked potatoes with the all the fixin’s to eat. Please sign up to bring a soup, bread, side dish or dessert by going to the LCA website LeedsCivic.org and clicking on the SignUp Genius link. For those who do not have internet access, you may contact Amy Quinn at 413-586-0283.
The kid’s wild and wonderful pumpkin roll will start at 4:30. There will be a prize for both first and second place. Hot food will be available after the pumpkin roll. The grab bags and apple pie raffle will be over by 8:00-ish. Plenty of time for everyone to get a good nights’ sleep!
With a good attitude, carving a pumpkin can be really fun whether you do it alone or with family or friends. We suggest you make an event out of it. Don’t let the potential of making a mess (or mess up) stop you. The clean up can be made easy too, if you lay down several layers of newspaper on your work surface you can just roll it up when done and throw it away or put it in the compost. Even if you don’t consider yourself creative we know you can do this! Don’t forget to bring something to light up your pumpkin at the party! Drop your pumpkins off at the party site between 3:00 and 5:00. Remember to check in, so you can be part of the grab bag and raffle!
Tips for how to get it done
What you will need
Why you should bring a pumpkin?
Tools and supplies:
Important Oct. 6 events:
Leeds Bike Trail Extension Walking Tour – Oct 6th at 4:30
A walking tour of the MassCentral Rail Trail Extension project which will run along the Mill River from Mulberry Street to South Main Street in Haydenville has been scheduled for October 6th at 4:30 by Wayne Feiden. The walking tour is not a preliminary walk, it is required to be given to the hired engineering firm under the Request For Proposal. Representatives from Pro Terra Design Group will be on the tour and available to hear your input about the plan.
Leeds residents are invited to go along on the walk. Many of you may have responded to the Mill River Greenway Initiative’s Leeds’ survey regarding trail usage and surfacing. Some of you may have attended the public meeting about the trail project at Leeds School back in March. Attending the walk is an additional way for you to share your thoughts and concerns about how the final MassCentral Rail Trail Extension should be designed. The Mill River and the rail trail that currently runs beside it are important and unique features of Leeds. The design of a bike extension should be undertaken with as much input from Leeds residents as possible. Drainage, run off, trail width, surface choice, cost of future maintenance of the trail, who will be responsible for such maintenance, amount of trees to be lost, invasive species overtaking cleared areas are all aspects to be seriously considered and openly addressed before a responsible design can be drawn up. The walk will begin at 4:30 PM. Please meet at the north end of Grove Avenue where the bike path begins.
_______________________________
$190,000 available for Leeds traffic calming
Community Meeting Oct 6th, 7:00, Leeds School
Your comments, traffic observations, and suggestions are needed at this Leeds community meeting. We asked Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Sustainability, to detail the sources of the funds and where they can legally be spent. His explanation follows:
Total funds received: $199,690 from Chestnut Extension ($47,500) 64 Reservoir Road ($4,000), Zoe Life Care ($152,350)
Funds spent: DPW legal ad ($160), DPW mitigation already made (we do NOT have a final accounting but for planning purposes assume $10,000.)
How can the dollars be spent and where?
1. Any improvement that reduces traffic on Main Street, Florence Street, Leonard, and Front Street because that would offset increasing traffic from Zoe Life Care and Chestnut Extension. This could include rail trail on ramps at the northerly Look Park entrance and at Main Street in Leeds center. It could also include Hotel Bridge just for the $4,000 from 64 Reservoir Road.
2. Any improvements that make roads safer in the area that we expect the traffic impacts from these projects, whether it be traffic calming or sidewalks or intersection safety improvements. For the Zoe Life Care funds that is Main, Florence, Leonard, and Front Streets and possibly East Center Street. For Chestnut Extension it could also include any of the streets north of Florence Street and east of Route 9. For the small amount from Reservoir Road it could include improvements on Reservoir Road.
3. ALL costs have to be durable capital costs. Crosswalk signs, for example, of the type we put in the middle of intersections are NOT durable and disappear and are not capital costs. All hard surface bricks and mortar projects are fine. Crosswalk and pavement markings are OK ONLY if the marking starts a process that DPW agrees to maintain but not if its a one time application that will disappear in two years.
Please take time to think about the options Wayne has laid out and bring your thoughts and ideas to the meeting.
BRIDGE SAVIORS
From The Daily Hampshire Gazette article September 16, 2014
Leeds group makes push to preserve beloved Hotel Bridge
By Chad Cain
Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
He remembers lingering on the bridge during those walks like it was yesterday.
“In the summer time, it was always a pleasure to cross the iron bridge, stopping and admiring the scenery,” Dunning said by email from his home in Florida. “Strange. I’m now 81 and it was like yesterday that I can remember walking over the bridge. It holds great memories, as the entire village of Leeds does.”
So when Dunning heard about a fledgling effort spearheaded by the Leeds Civic Association to save the dilapidated bridge spanning the Mill River between Water and Main streets, he fired off an email offering to donate to the project.
He’s not the only one waxing nostalgic, said Heidi Stevens, the association’s vice president. “We’ve been getting emails like this from a lot of people sharing their memories about the bridge,” she said.
“It really is a beloved bridge here in Leeds,” Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa F. Klein said. “It has this incredible history.”
The single-lane iron truss bridge, constructed in 1880, was named after the Leeds Hotel, which was built next to it in 1885 to accommodate the village’s growing population. The historic structure is also known as Old Shepherd Road Bridge.
Over the years, the bridge became a key passage over the Mill River, first for stagecoaches and later for vehicles that served the manufacturing hub. And in more recent times, the bridge has been a popular pedestrian and bicycle way for people wanting to visit the Roberts Hill Conservation Area, Musante Beach, and the post office, among other sites.
In addition to being the oldest bridge in Northampton, the Hotel Bridge is the sixth-oldest iron bridge in the state.
“The bridge represents the heart of our community,” said Jason Johnson, chairman of the Leeds chapter of the Mill River Greenway Initiative. “The bridge is really this vital artery of transportation for a lot of members of the town.”
Fenced off
The Mill River Greenway is backing efforts to preserve the bridge as part of its overall mission to design a greenway that connects people to the river.
The bridge has been closed to vehicles since 2004 when the city installed Jersey barriers on each end. Pedestrians and bicyclists continued to cross the bridge over the last decade, despite signs warning against it. That changed about a month ago when the Department of Public Works installed a chain-link fence on both sides of the bridge to keep people off it for good.
DPW Director Edward S. Huntley said the corrugated metal decking of the deck has missing pieces and there are holes in the pavement. “Basically, someone could get really hurt up there,” he said. “You can see the water through the bridge.”
The decision to fence off the bridge was made because of findings of a recently completed engineering study that analyzed its structural integrity and pinpointed weaknesses in certain beams, among other problems. The $35,000 study completed by Stantec Consulting Service Inc. of Northampton was financed by a Community Preservation Act grant awarded last year to the DPW at the behest of the civic association.
“The impetus here is, we were still using the bridge up until last month,” said Susan Carbin, civic association president. “Now everybody is feeling the pinch.”
Carbin said people are longing to use the bridge again, which she said is “absolutely part of Leeds” and historically significant to all of Northampton.
The Stantec study pegged the bridge repairs at $1.5 million, although civic association members believe they will not need to spend near that amount to address safety issues. Carbin pointed out that $650,000 of that estimate is for painting alone, a feature that is not vital to safety.
The group intends to enlist the help of Alan Lutenegger, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and engineers who live in Leeds and want to help with the project, Stevens said.
Lutenegger said Monday that preserving these kinds of structures is an important way to understand a society’s heritage, especially in terms of engineering. While some bridges are preserved for vehicle traffic, he said, it’s just as useful to try to save them for pedestrian use.
“It’s a great learning tool for students at all levels,” he said. “To see where you’re going in the future, you need to look at where you’ve been in the past. That’s certainly true in all types of engineering.”
Historic designation
While various fundraisers have taken place over the last several years in an effort to raise money to fix the bridge, including an annual bike ride, the renewed effort by the civic association will involve a more elaborate strategy.
“The Leeds Civic Association and volunteers want to raise awareness in Leeds and throughout Northampton about the value of this bridge to the city and to the state,” Stevens said.
The civic association, with the support of the Board of Public Works and the City Council, intends to submit an application in the coming months to the Massachusetts Historical Commission seeking to have the bridge certified as an historic structure. That designation will then allow the group to apply for federal grants from the National Register of Historic Places to help pay for the repairs.
Klein said these types of iron truss bridges were only constructed for a short period of time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and about half of the bridges constructed have been lost over the last two decades. A renewed push at the federal level to save historic bridges is now underway, she said.
“There is a feeling among preservationists that we are losing key pieces of our history,” Klein said. “Preservation of historical bridges is one of the key goals for the U.S. at the federal level.”
She said the group has no intention of asking the city to use capital money for the project.
The goal is to have the bridge repaired and reopened for foot traffic, Stevens said.
While the fundraising effort is in its early stages, Stevens said in the meantime the civic association is doing what it can to beautify the area. DPW crews removed the Jersey barriers late last week and replaced them with cement planters purchased by the association. Those planters have since been filled with flowers.
In a related project, Huntley said engineering students from Smith College will study the possibility of creating a spur from the Norwottuck Rail Trail to the bridge.
In addition to its historical significance as an engineering and architectural structure, a restored bridge that’s linked to the bike path could have a positive economic impact for Leeds, Stevens believes. She said a community in Simsbury, Connecticut, that restored a similar bridge now rents it out for community events, weddings and more. The bridge is decorated with flower baskets and is a popular walking spot, she said.
“It is something that has really unified a lot of people in Leeds,” Klein said. “Everybody has a story about the bridge. It really is held in the hearts of Leeds.”
Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.
Leeds hotel and bridge
Leeds group makes push to preserve beloved Hotel Bridge
From The Daily Hampshire Gazette article September 16, 2014
By Chad Cain
Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
He remembers lingering on the bridge during those walks like it was yesterday.
“In the summer time, it was always a pleasure to cross the iron bridge, stopping and admiring the scenery,” Dunning said by email from his home in Florida. “Strange. I’m now 81 and it was like yesterday that I can remember walking over the bridge. It holds great memories, as the entire village of Leeds does.”
So when Dunning heard about a fledgling effort spearheaded by the Leeds Civic Association to save the dilapidated bridge spanning the Mill River between Water and Main streets, he fired off an email offering to donate to the project.
He’s not the only one waxing nostalgic, said Heidi Stevens, the association’s vice president. “We’ve been getting emails like this from a lot of people sharing their memories about the bridge,” she said.
“It really is a beloved bridge here in Leeds,” Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa F. Klein said. “It has this incredible history.”
The single-lane iron truss bridge, constructed in 1880, was named after the Leeds Hotel, which was built next to it in 1885 to accommodate the village’s growing population. The historic structure is also known as Old Shepherd Road Bridge.
Over the years, the bridge became a key passage over the Mill River, first for stagecoaches and later for vehicles that served the manufacturing hub. And in more recent times, the bridge has been a popular pedestrian and bicycle way for people wanting to visit the Roberts Hill Conservation Area, Musante Beach, and the post office, among other sites.
In addition to being the oldest bridge in Northampton, the Hotel Bridge is the sixth-oldest iron bridge in the state.
“The bridge represents the heart of our community,” said Jason Johnson, chairman of the Leeds chapter of the Mill River Greenway Initiative. “The bridge is really this vital artery of transportation for a lot of members of the town.”
Fenced off
The Mill River Greenway is backing efforts to preserve the bridge as part of its overall mission to design a greenway that connects people to the river.
The bridge has been closed to vehicles since 2004 when the city installed Jersey barriers on each end. Pedestrians and bicyclists continued to cross the bridge over the last decade, despite signs warning against it. That changed about a month ago when the Department of Public Works installed a chain-link fence on both sides of the bridge to keep people off it for good.
DPW Director Edward S. Huntley said the corrugated metal decking of the deck has missing pieces and there are holes in the pavement. “Basically, someone could get really hurt up there,” he said. “You can see the water through the bridge.”
The decision to fence off the bridge was made because of findings of a recently completed engineering study that analyzed its structural integrity and pinpointed weaknesses in certain beams, among other problems. The $35,000 study completed by Stantec Consulting Service Inc. of Northampton was financed by a Community Preservation Act grant awarded last year to the DPW at the behest of the civic association.
“The impetus here is, we were still using the bridge up until last month,” said Susan Carbin, civic association president. “Now everybody is feeling the pinch.”
Carbin said people are longing to use the bridge again, which she said is “absolutely part of Leeds” and historically significant to all of Northampton.
The Stantec study pegged the bridge repairs at $1.5 million, although civic association members believe they will not need to spend near that amount to address safety issues. Carbin pointed out that $650,000 of that estimate is for painting alone, a feature that is not vital to safety.
The group intends to enlist the help of Alan Lutenegger, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and engineers who live in Leeds and want to help with the project, Stevens said.
Lutenegger said Monday that preserving these kinds of structures is an important way to understand a society’s heritage, especially in terms of engineering. While some bridges are preserved for vehicle traffic, he said, it’s just as useful to try to save them for pedestrian use.
“It’s a great learning tool for students at all levels,” he said. “To see where you’re going in the future, you need to look at where you’ve been in the past. That’s certainly true in all types of engineering.”
Historic designation
While various fundraisers have taken place over the last several years in an effort to raise money to fix the bridge, including an annual bike ride, the renewed effort by the civic association will involve a more elaborate strategy.
“The Leeds Civic Association and volunteers want to raise awareness in Leeds and throughout Northampton about the value of this bridge to the city and to the state,” Stevens said.
The civic association, with the support of the Board of Public Works and the City Council, intends to submit an application in the coming months to the Massachusetts Historical Commission seeking to have the bridge certified as an historic structure. That designation will then allow the group to apply for federal grants from the National Register of Historic Places to help pay for the repairs.
Klein said these types of iron truss bridges were only constructed for a short period of time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and about half of the bridges constructed have been lost over the last two decades. A renewed push at the federal level to save historic bridges is now underway, she said.
“There is a feeling among preservationists that we are losing key pieces of our history,” Klein said. “Preservation of historical bridges is one of the key goals for the U.S. at the federal level.”
She said the group has no intention of asking the city to use capital money for the project.
The goal is to have the bridge repaired and reopened for foot traffic, Stevens said.
While the fundraising effort is in its early stages, Stevens said in the meantime the civic association is doing what it can to beautify the area. DPW crews removed the Jersey barriers late last week and replaced them with cement planters purchased by the association. Those planters have since been filled with flowers.
In a related project, Huntley said engineering students from Smith College will study the possibility of creating a spur from the Norwottuck Rail Trail to the bridge.
In addition to its historical significance as an engineering and architectural structure, a restored bridge that’s linked to the bike path could have a positive economic impact for Leeds, Stevens believes. She said a community in Simsbury, Connecticut, that restored a similar bridge now rents it out for community events, weddings and more. The bridge is decorated with flower baskets and is a popular walking spot, she said.
“It is something that has really unified a lot of people in Leeds,” Klein said. “Everybody has a story about the bridge. It really is held in the hearts of Leeds.”
Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.
Autumn Movie Night!
…
Saturday October 4th at 7:30 pm
Back yard of 32 Upland Road
Bring your chairs or blankets, snacks and drinks.
Hot chocolate provided.
Block Party 2014
Postponed to Sunday Sept 14th!
Saratoga Race Track Fun
The LCA bus trip to Saratoga Springs on August 1 was an outstanding, excellent adventure. Wrangler-in-Chief Jim Mias led a bus filled to capacity with many many Leeds residents, along with friends from distant boroughs and towns such as Florence, Hamp, and the Faraway Hamps. Some of us were rookies on the trip; others were clearly recidivists. The weather was perfect. One of those outstanding summer days — we’ve had alot this summer! — that remind us why we love to live in New England.
The bus first stopped at the Saratoga Casino and Raceway, where we played the slots for a couple of hours. We will never know how much money our bus lost or won at the hands of the slots. Some people boasted that they’d won; many of us murmured that we lost and then trailed off… It was weird being inside a neon-lit casino when the weather outside was so nice. But it was a fun couple of hours.
We then boarded the bus for the Saratoga Race Course. We set up camp — chairs and coolers — on the grounds and proceeded to scour the race sheets to strategize for the 10 races. Great food, fun races, a little bit of beer. Did I mention the great weather? The veterans helped rookies understand horse race lingo. Again, some people won on some races, some people lost on other races. All had a great time.
At the end of the day we boarded the bus and enjoyed the chauffeured ride home to Leeds School. No doubt, the Saratoga bus trip next year will fill to capacity again!