Harwich bikeways committee seeks members, plans map redistribution and regional outreach

The Harwich Bikeways Committee on June 22 prioritized recruiting volunteers, improving trail map distribution and building regional ties to attract more participation.

Committee members said they will reach out to local cycling groups, the newcomers club and identified tour riders who live in Harwich. The chair asked members to circulate a recruitment blurb and requested that the Chronicle publish a photo or a separate recruitment image in the same issue as the summer safety article to help draw volunteers.

The group discussed inventory and placement of printed trail maps. Members noted an incongruous sign label reading “Bank Street” at one Old Colony Rail Trail parking location and committed to a 48‑hour follow up to inventory existing stock, locate storage, and order tabletop map stands for businesses willing to host maps. Several members volunteered to store and distribute boxes through the summer.

On regional coordination, the chair said they will attend a Chatham bikeways meeting as an observer and proposed creating an informal Old Colony Rail Trail Alliance — a non‑town organization to bring riders and volunteers together across towns without the constraints of formal committee rules.

The committee also discussed maintenance contacts with the town DPW and recommended designating a single liaison to report issues to Link in DPW; Richard agreed to act as that liaison. The group tentatively scheduled its next meeting for Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1 p.m.

Next steps: committee members will circulate the proposed Chronicle edits, take an inventory of maps, bring draft locations for additional map boxes to the next meeting, and confirm the Aug. 18 meeting time.