The route of the Merrymeeting Trail follows the Lower Road Railroad Corridor. Community conversations will allow participants to share thoughts about how to design a trail that best meets community needs and interests. Jeremy Cluchey

BOWDOINHAM — This fall, people can take part in designing the future Merrymeeting Trail.

During October, there are set to be a series of four community conversation meetings focused on the trail that will be held in the towns along the trail route: Bowdoinham, Richmond, Gardiner, and Topsham. All are invited to attend.

The meeting dates and times are:

• Bowdoinham: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m., at Bowdoinham Community School (23 Cemetery Road, Bowdoinham);
• Richmond: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m., at Enterprise Grange (15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond);
• Gardiner: Wednesday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m., at Gardiner Public Library (152 Water St., Gardiner); and
• Topsham: Tuesday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m., at Topsham Public Library (25 Foreside Road, Topsham).

The route of the proposed Merrymeeting Trail follows the Lower Road Rail Corridor, passing through downtowns and beautiful scenery in Topsham, Bowdoinham, Richmond and Gardiner. Contributed photo

These facilitated sessions are a place for community members to share input on what they want for the trail — things like what types of uses should be allowed, where should parking go, and what aspects of design would help to encourage people to get out and use the trail.

Input will be used to build the shared municipal and regional vision for the trail and its design. The meetings are hosted by Merrymeeting Trailblazers, a group of local citizens, town staff and nonprofits that have been working together to create this new trail.

The completed 26-mile multi-use trail would be eight-to-12-feet wide, with a surface of either pavement or stone dust. This easily accessible trail will create a space for short walks near towns or longer trips between the communities, following a route along the Kennebec River and Merrymeeting Bay. It would be located in the long-unused Lower Road Railroad Corridor, on the right-of-way owned by the state.

The trail would join Augusta to Brunswick by linking the Kennebec River Rail Trail in the north to the Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pedestrian Path in the south.  The state’s Active Transportation Plan showcases this route as an arterial trail in the state, part of a vision of a network of trails that would connect Maine’s 25 largest municipalities and over two-thirds of Maine’s population.

For more information visit merrymeetingtrail.org.

Check out other upcoming area events!