Mayor Daniel M. Knapik speaks during the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail dedication ceremony, as his brother, State Senator Michael R. Knapik, and former Westfield mayor and State Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard K. Sullivan, Jr. look on. (Photo submitted.)
WESTFIELD – Phase I of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail officially opened Friday with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. Elected state and local officials and members of Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, Inc. were on hand to cut the ribbon. Phase I of the multi-modal pathway stretches just over a mile from the Southwick town line to within 500 feet of the Tin Bridge.
“This project furthers the commitment of the Patrick-Murray Administration to land preservation and investing in urban parks, particularly in our Gateway Cities,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan. “The Greenway Rail Trail will not only provide safe, convenient access to downtown Westfield, it will help make Westfield a walkable, bike-friendly city, promote healthier living, and help protect the environment for generations to come.”
“The completion of the first phase of the project has been a long time coming with discussions first taking place in 1997.” said Westfield Mayor Dan Knapik. “The creation of a friends group has been critical to the trail’s success. The Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail certainly developed a political grassroots operation to give it the boost it needed to get moving. The full project will have a completed effort by 2015 and that’s really exciting.”
“We have been very pleased to work with Mayor Knapik and other local and state officials on this project. This is a true community partnership and will reap benefits for the community far beyond what anyone can imagine, ” said Board Chair, Jeff LaValley. “Our success in moving this project forward is a direct result of those who came before us–those who have been working tirelessly, for years, to bring this effort to fruition. We are grateful for their vision.
We now see the light at the end of the tunnel and are look forward to continuing on the path toward a bicycle and pedestrian friendly Westfield,” he said.
