Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Paths connect schools to trails network, provide new cross country course

A recenlty constructed bridge sits on a new shared-use path that connects Loop Road to Chamberlain Street and the Berry Acres trail system. PHOTO/LINDA CHUSS

The Trails Committee is putting the final touches on a new paths that will connect the main Hopkinton Public Schools complex on Hayden Rowe Street to other parts of town, along with providing new space for Hopkinton High School’s cross country team.

One of the trails is 1/3 of a mile long, begins on Loop Road near Field 11 and connects to Chamberlain Street and the Berry Acres trail system. It is 10 feet wide, flat and comprised of stone dust, similar to the Center, Hughes Farm and Echo trails.

According to information provided by the Trails Committee, the connection to Berry Acres provides access to the Windsor Apartments off Lumber Street and the mall at 77 West Main Street. It also creates a link to further up West Main Street, across from Ice House Pond.

“Having this trail … really connects quite a distance,” said Trails Committee member Linda Chuss.

A separate shared-use path by Field 13 will provide an on-campus course for the cross country team. Chuss said the team has gotten involved, helping with tasks like clearing rocks and debris from the course. Trails Committee chair Peter LaGoy, in a meeting with the School Committee in May, shared his belief that the new course would be an improvement over Hopkinton State Park, where the team currently runs.

Chuss said the idea for the paths started with the Trails Coordination and Management Committee, which was disbanded along with the Upper Charles Trail Committee in 2025 and reconstituted into the new Trails Committee. The project involved collaboration with both the School Committee and Conservation Committee, and was funded through the Community Preservation Committee.

Construction on the trails began this summer. According to Chuss, the project cost almost $100,000. A major part of the expense, she explained, was contracting a company to complete an 8-foot-by-24-foot bridge across a ditch.

“This was one [project] where we had to hire a company to do it because it required much more serious engineering,” she said, noting that most bridges the committee builds are constructed by members and volunteers.

“It’s a very wide bridge and it’s a very sturdy bridge that was professionally built,” Chuss stressed.

While major construction is complete, smaller tasks such as installing trail markers need to be completed. Chuss also stated that neither trail has been named yet. The committee will work with the School Committee and the cross country team to finalize the names using the town’s trail guidelines. Chuss said they also may seek input from the Open Space Preservation Commission.

“We have a couple people who are coming up with proposals for names,” she said. Those proposals will go to the School Committee, and the chosen names will be brought to the Select Board for final approval, she added.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

A grand jury last week indicted Hopkinton resident Steven Dana on attempted murder and other charges for allegedly strangling and holding a 21-year-old under the water at Sandy Beach in June.

Crews will complete additional punch list items through the Main Street corridor next week as the project continues to wind down.

Julie Burke, 56, of Hopkinton died Sept. 21.

Joseph Wilcox, 81, a resident of Hopkinton, died Sept. 26.

Drew Carey, 63, died Sept. 25. He was a musician who regularly performed at dining establishments in Hopkinton.

Sheila Szczypinski, 86, of Hopkinton passed away Sept. 30.

Town meetings tonight include the Commission on Disability (7) and Planning Board/Select Board joint meeting (7).

Photo of the Day

A volunteer chats with a customer in the Marathon Elementary School gymnasium on Saturday during the third annual HerSwap community tag sale to benefit the Hopkinton Parent Teacher Organization and The Herd.

PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD