Town officials, family members, friends mark dedication of James Frenette trail system with opening of new trail
Dan McClelland
On Sunday at 11a.m. town officials, members of the Frenette clan and John Gillis' trail grooming team gathered at the golf course to officially recognize the dedication of the town's trail system as the “James C. Frenette Sr. Recreational Trails.
The event also marked the official opening of the new 1.5 miles trail finished earlier this month that takes skiers, fat-tire bike riders and hikers off the fairways of the hometown 18 and into the woods there.
Much has been written in recent weeks about the new trail completed by John Gillis and his team of volunteers, in concert with crews from both the village and town. Sunday's event saw the ribbon-cutting.
Before the official opening of the new trail the trail-grooming committee, the family members and friends of Jim Frenette and a group of well-wishers including members of the town board all gathered with Tupper's premier ski trail-builder at the upper one of the two new signs at the golf course that were fashioned by Stacked Graphics.
From the sign the 75 or more friends and family members of Mr. Frenette moved up to the entrance to the new trail, adjacent to the golf course driving range.
At the ribbon cutting Supervisor Patti Littlefield joked that “while it's not like me to take the floor,” before she welcomed the more than 75 guests. “This is such a nice event and such a nice day. It's a wonderful time for the town and for the 8,000 Frenettes who showed up.”
“None of this would have happened without Jim Frenette and his thoughtfulness and his ambition and his plan, followed by John Gillis and John Quinn” and all the trail builders who pieced the new trail network together, she said that morning.
Mr. Frenette developed the golf course trail network and faithfully groomed it in past decades, after its start farther up Mt. Morris, adjacent to the Big Tupper Ski Center. About six years ago he recruited his nephew, John Gillis, to carry on the project. Mr. Frenette has continued as a member of the grooming team in the years since.
“A couple of weeks ago when they first finished it, John Gillis called me up at about 10a..m. and invited me to take a walk in the woods with him.”
“So I did and Shakey (Eric Lanthier, who was the primary tree feller on the trail project)) was still in the bush doing some trimming and cleaning. It was a perfect, perfect day...it should have been videotaped it was so gorgeous!”
“All the beautiful bridges were done (three were built by the volunteers). Anne Maltais put her seal of approval on this and that's what we were all waiting for...so we're glad for that.
At that point John chimed in: “We designed the hills on the trail just for her!”
“I'm so glad we were able to do this and not cost the town a fortune!” the supervisor asserted.
“It was done very affordably, thanks to all you wonderful volunteers!”
She said the town will be soon looking for the next generation of volunteers to maintain it, who can learn from these senior trail builders.
“As I look at the population of Tupper Lake dropping in the censuses,” she said one of the reasons for more robust populations here in the fifties and sixties and seventies were all the big families like the Frenettes.
She joked that young families here need to have more children to “help repopulate Tupper Lake.”
“Congratulations to Mr. Frenette for taking such good care of us all these years and for having this wonderful vision for cross-country skiing in Tupper Lake. We will continue in your honor forever!”
Jim Frenette, next to his nephew John with giant scissors in hand, said “the best thing that really makes me feel good are the people like John and his crew who will insure that this thing will get even better!”
“So I can walk away from this and know that this is moving and that's its great,” said the 90 year old plus Mr. Frenette. “These guys are something else,” he said of the trail builders.
“We promise we'll take care of it for you,” the supervisor told the veteran trail-builder.
Mrs. Littlefield introduced John Quinn, town councilman and member of Mr. Gillis' trail group, who she said “has pushed and pushed and pushed for this” and who has been a liaison between Mr. Gillis and the board on this project in recent years.
Like Mrs. Littlefield he too said he wasn't much on public speaking, which brought more laughs from the crowd.
He admitted he did push for trail improvements. “The word 'pest' comes to mind as I kept hammering it at town board meetings.”
“The James C. Frenette Recreational Trails...that's a mouthful. I thought of an acronym: the Frenette Area Recreational Trails.” More laughter.
“A bunch of people have really put a lot of effort into this particular section of the trail. -And in particular John Gillis and Eric Lanthier...these guys are amazing.” He commended the work of the town highway crew under Bill Dechene and the village crew. “It all came together.”
He said the project was done for a mere pittance. “In material costs we have maybe $6,000 involved. For three bridges and all the tree cutting and trail clearing... amazing!”
He and supervisor thanked the town board members Mike Dechene, Tracy Luton and Mary Fontana for their ongoing support of the trail expansion.
He told his friend Jim Frenette he was honored to have worked with him on the trails over the years. “You are the trail boss emeritus and John's got some big shoes to fill!” he said in conclusion.
