'Friends of the Greenway' Seeks Help Maintaining Trail

With the Greenway Trail in need of some maintenance, the group Friends of the Greenway is hoping to find some volunteers who can share their time and equipment to get the job done.

In an email to Patch, Charlie McAteer, chairman of Friends of the Greenway, said the places in need of some care include the area between the LIPA power lines and Gnarled Hollow Road, as well as the area around the parking lot at Gnarled Hollow Road.

"Some areas have been trimmed along the brown railing area between the two Gnarled Hollow Road areas, but with the Town of Brookhaven just doing the areas on the town road this year we need your help," he said. "... Your help is appreciated and any contacts to borrow or obtain one will help us keep the trail up as we get ready to accept the rest of the phase two."

McAteer said the group could really use not just volunteers to do the work, but also a wheeled string trimmer to use to do the actual work. According to an agreement with the New York State Department of Transportation, Friends of the Greenway agreed to maintain the greenery up to 24 inches on either side of the trail. He said a once-a-month party of volunteers would be ideal.

The trail is currently being expanded both east and west of its original one-and-a-half mile span that opened in 2009. Its final length will be three-and-three-quarters of a mile.

Contact McAteer at charles.mcateer@stonybrook.edu if you'd like to get involved. Friends of the Greenway is a part of the nonprofit group Three Village Community Trust.