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ESTABROOK PROJECT TOO COSTLY

SIERRA CLUB (Mass. Chapter) Letter to the Editor, Concord Journal,
Oct. 5, 2000

[In the following letter, the Sierra Club (Mass. Chapter) expresses fear that this new and expensive bridge will make inevitable extensive development in the woods to justify its cost.]

To The Editor, the Concord Journal: Technically, the 300-foot bridge proposed by the Middlesex School to cross the wetland may well reduce the impact on wildlife habitat, as defined in town and state regulations ("Middlesex redesigns bridge over troubled wetlands in Estabrook," CJ, Page 1, Sept. 28). It does not, however, alleviate the concerns of the Sierra Club.

This 300-foot steel-framed bridge will certainly look very out of place on the previously rural campus of the school. It will also, with a 30-foot width, complete with water, electrical and telecommunication services, be very expensive, several hundred thousand dollars we would guess.

The Board of Trustees of the school includes distinguished and financially sophisticated people, who know how to evaluate an investment. We find it hard to believe that they would propose such an expensive solution if the intent were only to provide access to a few sports fields. (In fact, for most of the year, slight improvements to the existing causeway would be perfectly adequate for appropriately shod athletes!)

The cost of this proposal increases our fear that the ultimate object of this access road is to allow development of an extension to the campus in the woods. Such an extension would be extremely intrusive since it would be clearly visible from the Estabrook (or "Old Carlisle") Road, the principal public access trail through the the woods.

Gilbert Woolley, Political Chairman.
Sierra Club
Massachusetts Chapter

[from: MASSACHUSETTS SIERRA CLUB
100 Boylston Street. Boston, MA 02116 (617) 423 -5775
office@sierraclubmass.org
Oct. 3, 2000
c/o gilwoolley@juno.com
617-369-6247]

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