Benches return to Maillet, Sommes, & Morgan Conservation Area

Jul 29

View from behind a dark brown bench looking out over a gravel path and a green wetland meadow framed by trees under a cloudy sky. — A bench faces the wetland meadow, one of the spots chosen so visitors can take in a view. Photo by Joe Fleury.

(2-minute read)

The benches are back at the Maillet, Sommes, & Morgan Conservation Area. A week after eleven volunteers from NextStep poured concrete pads at the Willow Street property, the repaired Polywood benches were set in place on July 28 and are now ready for visitors.

The project, carried out alongside Reading’s Conservation Division, cleared the way for benches that had long been a fixture for people walking the conservation area. Four benches were originally installed on the site, with a fifth later added as a donation. After the Polywood seating deteriorated from heavy use and direct sun, the Conservation Division replaced the failed components under the manufacturer’s warranty and used a $2,000 town appropriation to pour the pads. Those repaired benches are the ones now back in service, including two new locations chosen by the division, one of them picked so parents can watch their children hunt for frogs.

A brown Polywood bench rests on a fresh concrete pad beside a large tree, with woods and scattered wildflowers behind it. — One of the repaired benches sits on a new pad near the tree line. Photo by Joe Fleury.

Even with the new slab beneath them, volunteers noted the Polywood benches will need additional reinforcement to hold up over the long term. That likely means adding cross braces to the legs to prevent any twisting, along with security wire and anchoring to keep the benches stable.

Residents who want to help upgrade the seating can still donate a bench, which runs about $2,600, with a memorial or dedication plaque adding roughly $150. Families interested in donating can reach out to the Town Manager’s office, and the Conservation Division handles installation.

The volunteers from NextStep who took on the project, working through the heat and humidity to get the pads poured, have earned the community’s gratitude. Their effort to bring the benches back to the conservation area is greatly appreciated by the residents who will enjoy them.