Wildlife Trailblazer Dennis McNamara Honored in Dracut
 

Wildlife Trailblazer Dennis McNamara Honored in Dracut
Posted on: Friday, 13 June 2008, 15:00 CDT

By Dennis Shaughnessey, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Jun. 13--DRACUT -- During his 23 years with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, Dennis McNamara has helped to preserve more than 5,000 acres of important wildlife habitat and conservation land in Middlesex and Essex counties.

Now, there is a handicapped-accessible walking trail in the Kenwood section of Dracut that bears his name.

The Dennis P. McNamara Way is a tiny oasis off Kensington Street, not far from where McNamara grew up, featuring a short trail that opens up into a beautiful vista near a babbling brook.

The popular Dracut resident was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in December of 2005. Half of all ALS patients die within 18 months after diagnosis.

Nearly 100 people attended the dedication last night and applauded as McNamara pulled into the small parking lot in his 2002 Ford Mustang convertible, his fiancee, Debbie Ritchotte, at the wheel. Friends helped him into a wheelchair that brought him to the veiled sign at the trail's entrance.

McNamara's body has betrayed him, but his mind is still sharp and there is still a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.

"Where else but Dracut can a kid terrorize and wreak havoc throughout an entire neighborhood, and when you grow up, they name a park after you?" joked longtime friend James O'Loughlin, who unveiled the wooden sign along with Selectmen Chairman Bob Cox.

"There's nobody more deserving of this kind of tribute," Cox said. "This is just

a small token of the appreciation that comes from an entire community."

Prior to the land being named for McNamara, a measure that was unanimously supported by selectmen in April, the swath was slated to be sold during a town auction. The Open Space Committee requested to remove the parcel from the list, and Dracut resident Bill Greenwood, with the help of the Public Works Department, spent countless hours clearing the land of brush and debris and grading the trail in accordance with handicapped-accessibility guidelines.

Students and instructors from Greater Lowell Technical High School in Tyngsboro crafted the sign. Because of McNamara's failing health, the school got the job done quickly.

"The great effort from all these volunteers should not be overlooked," Cox said.

Former Selectman Warren Shaw said he and McNamara are kindred spirits, interested in land preservation.

"This is such a fitting tribute for someone who has been pro-Dracut his whole life," Shaw said. "Dennis is one of those guys who was always willing to help if it benefited the town."

O'Loughlin read a statement from McNamara, whose voice is barely audible.

"I am truly grateful to be honored in such a lasting way by the community I love," the statement read. "Enjoy this lovely site and I hope to see you along the trail in the future."

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