As for the railroad rights.
 

A while back the good governor Hassen had the idea to 'rent' the railroad rights to the folks that actually use the land between the tracks and the water line. You heard right the state can reap in a huge sum of money in this venture. It is still in the works and legally can happen! I can see Southdown spending huge sum of money to prevent this from happening.

Oh and the state can allow the WOW trail to venture next to the tracks through Southdown legally! It will happen eventually!

Same as the old Lake Shore Railroad! A number of property owners between Glendale and up to just before Ame's Farm had to remove structures built on the old rail bed for the Winni sewer project back in the 80's. There is an effort going on to make a bike trail on the old bed between Gilford and Alton. It can happen despite property owners saying they can't use their land. If they look at their deeds the state never gave up the rights. I can see all those McMansions on Rte 11 either torn up or move for the new bike trail or the eventual goal of the Winni Basin Sewer Project to surround the lake with a sewer line.

My family is from Cape Cod and I can remember all the bitching when the rail trail was proposed down there. Same complaints we hear in the lakes region about derelicts using the trail, invasion of people's privacy (because apparently the property owners didn't realize they had a railroad in their back yard when they bought the place).

Of course now the Cape Cod rail trail is a huge and unqualified success. Property values of homes immediately near the trail have seen HUGE increases because everyone wants to be near the trail. Of course sometimes karma doesn't seem to work and the people that bitched the most had the biggest financial gain from the trail.

The general opposition to the trail in Southdown has been the ugly chainlink fence requirement. Personally, I don't think it will get much use, I think a lot of it will end up collecting trash (just look at existing segment), and I also think the general enthusiasm from the people who started this project has died down.

It's not exactly like Southdown is some impenetrable fortress, nobody is really worried about people "sneaking" in via the WOW trail, but people ARE concerned about an ugly fence. The only upside is that the fence would likely help keep the geese off the larger green areas.

Amen to that! Sort of like keeping the illegal immigrants at bay!

The Lake Shore railroad bed is obvious. I can't see how land owners don't see that there was a railroad bed through their property!

Can someone explain why they would be a fence requirement? This would be along the shore, right?

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Opinion article about the progress of the WOW Trail from last Monday, August 17:

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/index...e-we-there-yet

"The WOW Trail will be a treasure for the City of Laconia. It will help build community, provide a healthy opportunity for people to gather and exercise, and will also beautify an area near the tracks that would otherwise remain unkempt. We are proud to be part of such a community-based effort."

Because of the worry that people are too stupid and/or self-involved to notice a giant, noisy train coming down the tracks. Also, running over a person on the tracks would be bad for business for the Winnipesaukee railroad.

Gotcha. Sad state of affairs that Stand By Me moments are thwarted by fences!

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Wait, the lawyers need feeding too :)

Beautify with a chain link fence?
There are lots of wonderful walking trails in the lakes region...they are called sidewalks

now that this thread is officially hijacked why does it need to go that way
why don't they just complete the sidewalks down union ave (has lake views) then down lake st to weirs blvd sidewalks all along the waterfront down the road? SO Lakeport and down union street infront of Irwins, to the cemetery (which will give those stores business) then left at the cemetery and in front front of the margate and then bam, you are on the waterfront right after the margate and a few properties. Most of the sidewalk is already completed and then meet up with the rail over the bridge and dumps into the weirs

beautiful views and there is already a road easement and fencing down the road and it will be a lot cheaper to finish the sidewalks

oh wait it makes way too much sense:rolleye2:

Most rail trails are also for Bikes.
Your not supposed to be riding a bike on the sidewalks.

put a trail on the sidewalk, they do on streets

Is there room to do that in the route described? Probably not.

Bikers along that stretch would be a nightmare if they have to stay on the road, unsafe for them and drivers.

Or how about...
 

Or how about just posting signs pointing up to Gunstock where there are lots of under utilized walking, hiking and biking paths already funded by Belknap county taxpayer money.

Oh that idea makes too much sense also.

Now back to the original post...
How about just using the new money collected from the sale of the Lakeport property to help pay down the Laconia debt burden so that local taxes don't go up for a change. :cheers:

Oh yea, this idea also makes too much sense :idea:

plenty of room on the waterfront side of weirs blvd

I have address the issue about turning the old lake shore railroad bed between the Water works and the old burger king property and link up to the existing bike path in back of MacDonald's. You can ask the now infamous Cafula of Hathaway House fame, owner of the Dunkin Dognuts on Union Ave. why we couldn't use the old rail bed. The city has already witness almost fatal bike/pedestrian accidents along that stretch of Union Ave. How many more accidents do we need to convince the good folks to do the right thing?

Looks like a new development ..... or I'm behind in the news

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/newsx/local-news



.

The purchase price of $528,000 is about sixty years worth of rent at $8,750/year.

I suspect that both marinas are unhappy with the deal. That means it's a good deal. :D

Karma is a bitch!

.....oopsie doopsie?
 

Oh well ..... looks like Erica got stopped for a first time, hands-free cell phone violation by a state trooper in Laconia in September, and she is contesting it ..... live and learn? Wonder if getting stopped and cited for a violation was enough to get her to start using the 'hands on the steering wheel' blue-tooth? Her trial has been scheduled for January 25.

A first time, hands-free violation has a $124 fine, according to the article in today's Laconia Citizen.

"If the glove don't fit, then you must acquit!" ..... or something like ..... if you get a text, then make it wait till next!

http://www.citizen.com/news/2015-12-...violation.html

Your link didn't work. Below is the article:

Blizzard contests hands-free violation
By BEA LEWIS
LACONIA – A city woman convicted in 2011 of negligent driving for nearly hitting a State Trooper attempting to stop her SUV on I-93 as she fiddled with her cell phone, is challenging a ticket for violating the state's new hands free law.

Erica Blizzard, 42, 65 Gold St., Laconia, was issued a citation by New Hampshire State Trooper Russell Holmes, after he stopped her 2013 GMC Yukon on Union Avenue, Laconia on Sept. 16, at 5:18 p.m.

She pleaded not guilty on Sept. 23 and appeared in the 4th Circuit District Division Laconia Court on Dec. 2, for a pretrial conference. Her trial has been scheduled for Jan. 25 at 8:30 a.m.

Presiding Judge James Carroll has recused himself from hearing the case. Prior to being named to the bench, Carroll was Belknap County Attorney and prosecuted Blizzard for causing a speedboat accident that killed her best friend.

In 2010, she was convicted of failing to keep a proper lookout when she ran aground on Diamond Island on Lake Winnipesaukee in 2008. Stephanie Beaudoin of Meredith, was killed in the crash, and Blizzard, and another passenger Nicole Shinopulos of Burlington, MA., were seriously injured.

She was sentenced to 12 months in jail, but was freed on work release after serving 35 days.

New Hampshire's hands-free law went into effect on July 1. Conviction on a first offense is punishable by a $124 fine. Motorists are now prohibited from using hand held electronic devices while driving, or temporarily halted in traffic for a stop sign, traffic light or other temporary delay. The ban includes cellular telephones, Global Positioning Systems (GPS’s), tablets, IPADS, IPODS, or any other devices that require data entry.

In August, Blizzard who operates Lakeport Landing Marina, filed suit against the City of Laconia, challenging the legality of the City Council's decision to sell as surplus to competitor Irwin Marine, the property her late father, Paul, built a boat showroom on and had rented from the city.

Since the hands-free law went into effect, the majority of the citations that have come before Judge Carroll have been resolved by being placed on file without a finding on the condition the defendant completes a defensive driving course within 60 to 90 days with proof to the court and the state, coupled with a good behavior mandate ranging from six months to a year.

I thought this thread was about a business real estate transaction and not someone getting pulled over for a traffic violation? I guess this goes to show you that there isn't much going on in the lakes region this time of year if the newspapers can only find this subject to write about.

How much is bluetooth? I'm sure the suv has hands free. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people. Nah, just a total lack of respect.

Warring marinas to square off in court.

http://www.citizen.com/news/2016-01-...w+News+Browser

because of Stupidity (no matter which side you are on)

ding, ding, ding, lawyers win!!!!!

City of Laconia
 

Been spending an awfully lot of money of litigation fees lately. And losing! Seems like the lawyers paying PAC to the council?

Lakeport Landing is a nice company to do business with.....
 

A lot of nice people work at Lakeport Landing and Erica is one of them. I don't think it is fair or nice to pick on her... I guarantee that there are people in your family that make mistakes and I bet you wouldn't appreciate them being called out in a public forum.

I thought the Lakeport Landing property was bought by Irwin's?

Nope...
 

Irwin has bought land owned by Laconia and had been leased by Lakeport Landing. Lease ran out and there was not any extention. Irwin's and Lakeport Landing put in a bid, and Irwins was higher.

Still in litigation the last I heard, as to the legality of the bidding process.

Still There
 

Lakeport Landing will still have the waterfront location with fuel, sales, service and numerous boat houses and boat slips rented to tenants.

The property that they may lose in about 18 months is the building and land on Union Ave that they have leased from the city of Laconia for 30 years.

Really?
 

So sorry but I beg to differ.......When you do bad things .....Bad things happen to you.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

.... a very happy resolution!
 

Is hard to believe that such a contentious, long litigated ownership argument between Lakeport Landing, the City of Laconia, and Irwin Marine seems to result with a truly win-win-win outcome for all involved ..... including the Laconia property tax payer and Laconia residents and boaters and the two marina businesses and Bike Week and the Winni Railroad .... winners all around!

There was a builder's drawing of the future re-constructed Lakeport Fire Station as new home for Lakeport Landing marina ....... anyone have any information on what Irwin's plans to do with the existing Lakeport Landing building after it takes possession on November 1, 2017. Will Irwin be using it for Sea-Doo and Ski-Doo, ...... or what? ..... like will it have 200-different kayaks on display..... and 22'-long, single rowing sculls ...... maybe start selling and re-stringing tennis racquets and turn the top floor of their new building into a yoga studio?