In his quest to earn his Eagle Scout Rank, Stoughton Boy Scout John Stewart-Racicot appeared before the Board of Selectmen this past Tuesday evening to seek approval for his service project design.

His proposed 13.5 foot entranceway to Stoughton’s recently purchased Glen Echo property was well received by the Board. The entranceway will include a welcome sign as well, Stewart-Racicot said. And, he and his fellow Boy Scouts will help clear some of the trails there.

Stewart-Racicot’s project, which took about one month to plan, is just one of the six criteria he must successfully complete to achieve the elite Eagle Scout status.  (In 2011, a mere 5% of Boy Scouts ranked as Eagle Scouts, according to the Boy Scout website).

At 17-years-old, Stewart-Racicot is a six-year veteran to the Boy Scouts of America organization and has enjoyed every moment of it. He is a member of Troop 516 in Stoughton.

When asked why this Stoughton High senior chose this particular project, he answered, “I always went through the trails of Bird Street and the trails are great [at Glen Echo].” 

He also has an interesting family tie to Glen Echo as well: “My great-grandmother, when she came over from England, worked at the Inn that burned down," he said.

Following Stewart-Racicot’s presentation the Board instructed him of the proper channels he must now go through to ensure town compliance, such as appearing before the Conservation Committee and confirming the height of Stoughton’s emergency vehicles prior to erecting the entrance (the entranceway might have to be made higher than the proposed 13.5 feet).

The Spring 2011 Town Meeting approved the funding for the town to acquire Glen Echo, the historic 96-acre North Stoughton property, with the town completing the purchase of the land back in December 2011.