Tickets are now on sale for “Spring For The Pond!”, a fundraiser that will benefit preservation of Haggetts Pond and Trail. The event is scheduled for March 9 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Oak & Iron Brewery on Red Spring Road.
The event will feature live music, silent auctions, food and more. Tickets are $35 in advance on Eventbrite or $40 at the door. Two previous fundraisers sold out. You can also reserve your tickets in advance by emailing [email protected].
A plan to pave the trail was the subject of a heated debate and a special town meeting last year. Andover’s legislative body ultimately rejected zoning changes that would have prevented the paving project, which Town officials say will make the trail more accessible.
Town officials warned each of the three articles had implications beyond the months-long dispute over the popular hiking spot. The articles would have imposed new restrictions for paving near waterways and in protected areas throughout Town. While Haggetts Pond Trail is a Town-owned property, the new rules would have also impacted private property owners.
A grassroots effort to block the project was initially thwarted as the proposal went before various Town boards, eventually prompting opponents to petition for the special town meeting. Opponents of the measures pointed to other zoning bylaw changes, which usually come after months or years of study that includes efforts to collect public input.