BEVERLY — The city’s Open Space and Recreation Committee announced that it has completed improvements to Sally Milligan Park, including a new trail, footbridge and wayfinding signage.
The new trail leads from behind the soccer field on Cross Lane, enabling visitors to access land north and west of the field and the Mackerel River. Parking is available at the Cross Lane soccer field.
The new trail was originally proposed in the fall of 2019 in accordance with the 2002 Sally Milligan Implementation Plan. The trail was approved by the Open Space and Recreation Committee in 2021. In 2022, the city received a MassTrails grant to construct a bridge over the Mackerel River, install a new map kiosk for the Cross Lane soccer fields, and update maps depicting the new trail.
The trail and the bridge were completed in June 2023. The new kiosk and maps were installed in December 2023 and bike racks were installed in September 2024.
Sally Milligan Park was a gift to the citizens of Beverly from Hugh Taylor Birch, who gave the original 31 acres to the city in 1933 as a memorial to his mother, Sally Milligan Birch. In 1999, the city purchased an additional 15 acres from the Santin family with assistance from the state and the Essex County Greenbelt Association.
The city added again to Sally Milligan in 2002 with the purchase of the 37-acre former Hill Estate. For more information on the park visit www.beverlyma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/940/2019-Sally-Milligan-Trail-Map-PDF.