PARKING ON GUN CLUB LANE

When my family moved from Warren Avenue to Gun Club Lane in the summer of 1975, few folks in town realized there was anything down here past Ogilvie’s, but for the Water Department, both now gone. It was rare then to see cars parked on the lane, except around midnight when local teenagers made it a destination for “going parking.”

But now that the Rail Trail has finally arrived, after years of resident opposition culminating in 1997, when Weston became the only town on the line to vote against it, our neighborhood has become a daytime destination for many local families.

And parking here has become increasingly popular and difficult. The present designated parking area holds a maximum of five cars, which works well during the week most of the time. But on sunny weekends it is not unusual to see as many as 10 additional cars parked between the trees by the right side of the lane, beyond the designated parking area, up to the curve where the Carter property’s path begins. There, some cars switch over to the left side of the lane, where a couple more cars fit in by the entrance to the Carter path, and then two to three more cars sometimes park at the indent in the Carter fence, near the intersection of the Rail Trail and Gun Club Lane.

This last spot is presently owned by the Carter/Gillespie family, but is slated to be transferred to Weston Forest & Trail, which will, I hope, convert it into two or three handicapped parking spots with a ramp right onto the trail, so that folks in wheelchairs will be able, finally, to join the fun with ease. We have yet to see a person in a wheelchair on the Rail Trail.

Up until a few weeks ago, parking was never a problem on Gun Club Lane, as overflow cars were considerately parked, so as not to block the lane for two-way traffic.

Then one day in late April, we woke up to find “No Parking” signs by order of Weston Forest & Trail taped to the trees beyond the designated parking area with a mass of snow sticks, large dead branches and other wood debris placed in the most ugly, unfriendly manner to prevent people from parking where they have parked for years.

It took a while to find out what was going on because when I asked Mr. Paul Penfield, the neighborhood liaison of the Rail Trail Advisory Committee, he falsely informed me that complaints about parking had been received, but that he did not know who had made them.

A subsequent email from my neighbor, Yet-Ming Chiang, revealed that it was he who had complained to Penfield. Moreover, Penfield had previously assured him that the designated parking area would never be expanded! Paul Penfield has no authority to make any such promise, and zero credibility left. He should resign immediately.

My husband, Sam Bush, and I certainly share the safety concerns of our neighbors on Gun Club Lane that all vehicles, including fire trucks, must be able to reach our homes at all times. However, it is clear to us that the recent changes have made our street far less safe than before.

As a result of these changes, we now sometimes have cars parking on both sides of the lane. That is indeed a public safety issue, as even passenger vehicles can have trouble navigating this. Our new next-door neighbor recently told me she had to drive off the road and into the dirt to get through.

My suggestion is to put the “No Parking” signs on the left side of the lane, where there is a very narrow shoulder, and to enlarge the designated parking area on the right side of the lane as much as possible. The removal of the trees located there and the addition of some crushed stone could easily triple the available designated parking. That would make everyone safe, and it would also look lovely and natural.

I realize that taking down a tree is a very sensitive matter, but if we can cull hundreds of live trees in our town forests and sell them for firewood, because it’s good for the health of trees that remain, then surely we can cull 10 more, because it’s good for the health of the people who want, need and are entitled to use these public spaces. The safety of all who use Gun Club Lane is also at stake.

In the event of future problems with unsafe, illegal parking, the Weston Police Department could issue warnings and then ticket any continuing offenders. Vehicles presenting an immediate safety issue could be towed immediately.

Jericho Forest, along with much of the land on Gun Club Lane, except for the railroad tracks and the three houses here, was donated to our town in the 1950s by the phenomenal Marion Farnsworth. She lived with her friend Helen Johnson at “Exmoor Farm” located nearby at 751 Boston Post Road. There, they provided a wonderful home for numerous folks, young and old, including six British children evacuated during World War II. See my story “The Aunts of Exmoor Farm” in the fall 2012 "Weston Historical Society Bulletin," available online at westonhistory.org.

The intent of this generous gift was clearly to benefit all the people of Weston, not just the lucky few who are able to walk or bike here on their own. The continued right of the public to access and to enjoy the Jericho Forest and the Rail Trail should be respected and enabled to the fullest extent possible by the town, including all committees with any interest in this public land.

The Conservation Commission is sponsoring a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, June 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. to discuss the issue of parking on Gun Club Lane. Weston residents may register to join this meeting by contacting Conservation Agent Michele Grzenda at grzenda.m@westonmass.gov or Conservation Assistant Debbie Howell at debbiezhowell@gmail.com.

Since I’ve already put my suggestions in writing, I won’t be joining this meeting, but I look forward to learning the points of view expressed there on Weston Media, and sincerely hope that a solution that works well for all will soon emerge, and be implemented, on Gun Club Lane.

Isabella Jancourtz is a Weston resident.