I never thought of the Downeaster as a commuter rail line that's why I don't think extending the Boston to Lowell line to Winnipesaukee would be successful unless it was designed as a limited stop train. Right now it takes about an hour to go from Boston to Lowell on the train because of the multiple stops. IF a train could be marketed as something between Boston and the Weirs with a limited number of stops in the larger communities it might work.
I'm not sure a bike or skating path next to the WOW rail line would fly with the state only because of liability. Can you imagine the lawsuit if someone on a rented tandem bicycle or on inline skates accidently fell onto the tracks just as the train went by?
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of a bike/skating path along the line! There would have to be something that prevents an accident like the one above from happening that would also be asthetically pleasing (no chain link fences or jersey barriers please)
As for the run down buildings being privately owned, I believe the city can provide pressure to get them looking good again or in some severe cases the building or health departments probably could order improvements. Doesn't the Weirs have a chamber or business group?
Just to prove Pepper right, I would hate to see some ONE corporation or person come into the Weirs, buy up everything and turn the Weirs into Meredith-South. No slam on Meredith, it's very nice but not the Weirs.
Beyond dressing up some of the rundown buildings I was trying to think of what kinds of offerings would help the Weirs. Granted I am older than the typical T-Shirt/trinket and arcade crowd so outside of bringing someone down there for a ride on the Mount or her sister boats there really isn't anything to attract someone with disposible income like me outside of BikeWeek.
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