Heritage Way - Phase 1

1. Hike and bike trail signs might be more appropriate for the new Heritage Way trail. These signs appear where this north-south trail crosses the east-west roads such as Nott Street, Wells Road and others. The surface of the trail is conducive to both biking, hiking and running, but not rollerblading or rollerskating.

2. A view of the opening ceremony southward from the traffic barrier with Andrew Wizner in the foreground, the refreshment (emergency rain) tent to the right and the rest of the gather in the background. Overcast skies and unseasonably cool weather was better than rain at least.

3. Andrew Wizner, Esq, chair of the Town of Wethersfield Conservation Commission, addresses the group at the outset of the ceremony.

4. Kitch Czernicki, Mayor, Town of Wethersfield, CT, congratulates the Conservation Commission, the Recreation and Parks Department and the Physical Services Department of the town in their successful planning and completion of Phase One of the Heritage Trail.

1. Kathy Bagley, Director, Recreation and Parks Department, TOW, pats all of the visionaries, planners and workers of this project on their backs and speaks of the plans for completing the remaining two phases of this trails project.

2. Big Mike Turner, Chief Engineer, Town of Wethersfield addresses the group and accepts their applause for his departments contribution to Heritage Way. His department provided the tangible plans for constructing the trail.

3. On the other hand, it was the Physical Services Department, TOW, under the direction of Joe Hart, which was responsible for the tasks involved in actually constructing the trailway. They laid the drainage pipes, hauled and placed the coarse fill and spread and graded the stone dust covering. They will also be responsible for upkeep of the trail.

4. Andrew Adil, a former Town Council member, has been credited with a determination which helped shepherd this project both on and off of the Council. Andy is one of the sons of Sey and Carol Adil, who, with other members of the Wethersfield Beautification Trust, have started areas of selective plantings along the way to enhance its appeal.

1. As Andy Wizner continued with his presentation, Town Councilor Brendan Flynn and his daughter listen. To their right an well attired biker gets ready to put the trail use.

2. Among the bikers who attended the opening was the Melendey family from Old Wethersfield.

3. Still others attentively listened and applauded the speakers. Among these were former Councilor Judy Parker, Mayor Czernicki, Councilor Peter Gardow, Wethersfield Life editor Joyce Rossignol and North Wethersfield resident Lillian Doerschler. (Partially hidden, rear/left, CT Representative Paul Doyle.)

4. Comfortably and cheerfully dressed and looking almost like a character out of a Gilbert and Sullivan production is Peter Gardow, a town Councilor.

1. Dave Gregorian chats with (off camera) Ingrid Boelhouwer and Judy Parker.

2. Ingrid Boelhouwer, another member of the Conservation Commission.

3. An example of the all important vehicular traffic barrier is seen from its less photogenic obverse side. The decorative lattice work on the "street" side is seen through the metal bars and rails.

4. At last, the ribbon cutting. As an assortment of kids look on, parks maintainer Sal Cancellere and Conservation Commission chair Andy Wizner, in concert, wield the scissors and officially open the "Heritage Way" of Wethersfield.