Volunteers Clean ‘Woidyla Landing,’ ‘Woidyla Way’ in Advance of Dedication

Cutting, trimming and general cleanup marked Saturday’s cleanup of the recently designated “Woidyla Landing” and “Woidyla Way.” (Photographs by Jay Saulnier for WHAV News.)

City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan rakes leaves along the trail.

City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan rakes leaves along the trail.

More than 40 volunteers turned out Saturday morning to help clean the newly designated “Woidyla Landing” and “Woidyla Way,” near Round Pond.

Haverhill City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan, who led the effort along with Councilor William J. Macek last July to name the area as the “Steven F. Woidyla Landing and Trail,” organized the event. Sullivan told WHAV why the area was chosen to honor the former Haverhill city conservation officer who died at age 72 in August after a three-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Steve loved all of the ponds and parks, but he especially loved and cherished Round Pond because it was the pond located in his own neighborhood where his family lived and where his families grew up. So, there’s a long history in the Woidyla family of using Round Pond and going fishing there, sledding there actually, and all kinds of other activities,” Sullivan said.

Saturday’s volunteers were comprised of Woidyla’s wife Lorraine, son Steven and other family and friends; Conservation Officer Mark Sheehan; and members of the Parks Department. Saturday’s effort was aimed at the boat ramp at Stanley Drive and the trail connecting to Concord Street. Sullivan described the site and the results of the cleanup.

“The boat ramp at Stanley Drive has been used heavily, but neglected mightily over the last decade or two. We picked up over 100 bags—lawn and leaf bags—full of leaves.”

He said the trail was overgrown, overrun by invasive plant species and littered by dead trees and limbs. Work is not complete though, as Sullivan explained. “There will be further cleaning coming up in the next few weeks and we hope to be ready to dedicate this site, which will be called ‘Woidyla Landing’ and ‘Woidyla Way.’”

Sullivan painted a word picture of the project’s outcome.

“When people come to the dedication, the will see a newly refurbished landing, way, signage that will mark the spot. There will be a large wooden  sign when you enter Stanley Drive and get to the landing that will say ‘Woidyla Landing.’ There isa a boulder that has been placed on site which will have a bronze plaque attached to the boulder, which will say ‘In Memory of Steven F. Woidyla.” We will also have smaller signage with arrows pointing to and from Woidyla Way, from each side—the Stanley Drive side to Concord—Concord Street side to Stanley Drive.”

The dedication is expected to take place next month with formal signage.

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