VT trail projects to receive over $540,000 in state recreation grants

On Wednesday, Governor Phil Scott announced the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation is awarding $547,571 in grant money from the Recreational Trails Program to help fund 14 significant trail projects across Vermont including Springfield.

Grant funds are made available each year through the federal Recreational Trails Program for municipalities and nonprofit organizations to build and maintain public recreational trails.

“This is another banner year for this program,” said FPR Commissioner Michael Snyder. “We are able to fund some excellent and diverse trail projects all over the state. The health, economic and social benefits of trails are well-documented, and our Department is proud to support these community-based efforts.”

“Vermont’s outdoor recreational opportunities add to the quality of life, and draw tourists from around the world to our beautiful state,” said Gov. Scott. “These grants play an important role in supporting trail projects throughout the state, and I appreciate the Department’s work to continue this program."

The goal of the Recreational Trails Program is to provide aid for the development and maintenance of a wide variety of recreational trails and trail systems for public use throughout Vermont. This year’s grant awards will go towards the following projects:

• Northern Forest Canoe Trail: Construction of a new portage and river access trail in Richford.
   
• Westmore Trails Association: 1 mile of trail maintenance with extensive reconstruction on Bald Mountain Trail and 1 mile of trail maintenance and drainage improvements on Haystack Mountain Trails.
   
• Catamount Trail Association: Creation of a 5-mile cross-country ski connector trail to Camels Hump Challenge Trail in Huntington, with one new bridge.
   
• Episcopal Diocese of Vermont: Restoration of Holy Trinity Trail around Eagle Bay with two new footbridges.
   
• Town of Williston: Allen Brook Nature Trail expansion, including 0.55 miles of new trail and three new footbridges.
   
• Town of Killington: 5.3 miles of new mountain bike trails in the Green Mountain National Forest.
   
• Vermont River Conservancy: Construct 1 mile of the North Branch Cascades Trail along the North Branch of the Winooski River, adjacent to Rte. 12, in Worcester and Elmore, with a trailhead parking area.
   
• Green Mountain Club: Butler Lodge historic renovations and puncheon replacement along ridge top of Mt. Mansfield at Profanity Trail junction and at Eagle Pass.
   
• Town of Chittenden: 0.5 miles of new trail construction; 0.6 miles of trail improvements with an 80-foot universally accessible section near pavilion, linking the downtown to the school.
   
• Winooski Valley Park District: Phase I Archeological Survey work at planned trail construction sites within the Wolcott Family Natural Area.
   
• Vermont Mountain Bike Association/Mad River Riders: 1.4 miles of new mountain bike trails (Lookout Loop Trail) and .5 miles of trail improvements to the existing trail system at Blueberry Lake, Warren, VT
   
• VAST: Winter grooming of the statewide VAST trails system.
   
• Town of Newport Center: New ATV / multiple-use trail, approx. 4500 feet long in the town forest.
   
• Skitchewaug Trail Riders in Springfield, VT: New grooming equipment to maintain Skitchewaug’s trail system of snowmobile trails.

Next year’s 2018 grant round will begin with pre-applications due in Fall 2017. Full applications are due in February 2018.

For more information on the Recreational Trails Program, visit http://fpr.vermont.gov/recreation/grants/rtp or contact program administrator Sherry Winnie at sherry.winnie@vermont.gov or 802.760.8450.