First, the muckety-muck State-level officials did their jobs. The suits showed up last month at the Rte. 30 bridge that spans Rte. 9, speechified, cut a pretty ribbon, and voila—the Cochituate Rail Trail was officially open.

Next, it was time for the locals to party. At the Cochituate Rail Trail (CRT) Community Celebration last week, community members and civic groups got together on the part of the 4-mile trail that runs in front of Amvets Post 79 to bask in the glory of a project that keeps moving forward. (The crowd thanks your bathrooms for their service, Amvets)

The CRT is a multi-use trail that runs from Saxonville in Framingham to Natick Center. The Natick segment officially opened in late September and currently terminates at Whitney Field at the Navy Yard. But it’s not done yet. The next step is to extend the trail from the Navy Yard to the MBTA commuter rail station in Natick Center.

At the celebration, sponsored by the Solomon Foundation, several organizations set up along the trail, and there was a brief speaking program.

Here are some pics:

Happy trails to you

If you haven’t checked out the Cochituate Rail Trail yet, a nice access point is the parking lot at Navy Yard Field, 41 Washington Ave., Natick. Parking is also available at or near Home Depot on Route 30.

Here’s a map of the trail.

MORE:

Zipping over Route 30 on the Cochituate Rail Trail

Cochituate Trail ribbon cutting