Town of Hanson Conservation Recreation Areas-Brian M. Gaffey

BRIAN M. GAFFEY CONSERVATION AREA

Access:  A strip of land located between 225 and 243 County Road and another strip of land between 59 and 83 West Washington Street.  Both areas area clearly marked with green and white Conservation Commission signs. 

Note: Much of this property is wet. There are no established trails on this property and access, while marked, is not easily accessible for hiking.

The Brian M. Gaffey Conservation Area (BMGCA) contains 62.58 acres of area located on parcels known as Map 83, Lot 3B, and Map 92, Lot 23.  The Property is situated between County Road (Route 14) and West Washington Street and has two main access points.  Parking is available at the side of the road at the Town-owned Thomas Mill site off West Washington directly across from the Property.  There is a third potential access point between 93 and 141 West Washington Street, but it is visibly swamped.

The larger (54.5 acres) of the two parcels, Map 83, Lot 3B was donated to the Town of Hanson on September 13th, 2001 by E. Kenneth Gray and Mark A. Tedeschi of Hanson County Road Associates, LLC on a deed recorded in Book 20562, Pages 348-350.  It was officially accepted by members of the Conservation Commission and the Board of Selectmen on September 18, 2001.  A utility company has deeded across to the Property on this parcel.  During the August 21, 2001 meeting of the Conservation Commission, the members voted to honor and name the Property after longtime Conservation member Brian M. Gaffey, who passed away that year, for his many years of dedication to protection of open space.

The smaller parcel (8.18 acres) was acquired by the Town through a taking for non-payment of taxes and recorded in Tax Title Book 13500, Page 36.  A final land court judgment was handed down on October 14, 1999 and recorded in Book 17950, Page 345.  At the Special Town Meeting of May 3, 2004, the parcel was transferred to the care, custody, management, and control of the Conservation Commission.  Joined, the Property is now perpetually protected open space extending from County Road to West Washington Street and allowing the potential for parking and additional access.