The Ware Pond access path was constructed with funds from a grant attained by the Marblehead Conservancy. It begins at the end of Warren Rd. which is off Rockaway Ave. At the path's opening, one can choose to go left and go up to the bike path, or by turning right, one can access a beautiful wooden boardwalk which leads to a viewing area of the pond. Flat rest stops are every few feet and the path has a gentle and wheel-able slope. There is a second viewing area of Ware Pond off the end of Marion Rd. ext. which is grassy and flat.

Ware Pond Work Unveiled
Thursday, September 29, 2005

About 30 people gathered last Saturday at the end of Warren Road to celebrate improvements to the Ware Pond trails. The project makes two sides of the largest pond in Marblehead more accessible to all, including wheelchair users.

Organized by the Marblehead Conservancy Trails Committee, the project was funded with a $22,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and $9,000 worth of gifts, discounts and volunteer hours.

The project has four pieces. On the Marion Road side of the pond, a short stone wall was built in order to level the ground and to raise the viewing area so everyone can see over the plants growing along the edge of the pond. Near this area, a new entrance was built using granite to replace badly rotting timbers.

On the Warren Road side, a 150-foot boardwalk was built over an area that is frequently muddy and has many roots growing across the trail. The boardwalk ends in a viewing platform.

In addition, the 250-foot-trail from Warren Road and from the railroad bed to the boardwalk was rerouted, graded to a very gradual pitch and covered with a mixture of gravel and stone dust to make a flat, stable surface.

The core trail crew, which did the work, was composed of Doug Perkins, project manager, Mo Ashley, Jim Davenport, Bob French, Dick Marcy, Don Morgan, Sandi Peaslee and John Poate. Organizations who supported the effort were Bartlett & Steadman, the Conservation Commission, Gilbert & Cole, the Highway Department; Recreation, Parks and Forestry Department; the Ashley family, the Board of Health, the Water and Sewer Department and Wetlands Preservation Inc.

For more information on the Marblehead Conservancy, whose mission is "to do good things for open spaces," call Richard Harrison at 781-631-1667.

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