$10,000 Grant Awarded for Chittenden Park Boardwalk

The following is a press release from The Guilford Foundation:

The Guilford Foundation is pleased to announce a grant award to the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA) to help their construction of a trail boardwalk and overlook platform at Chittenden Park. The grant will provide $10,000 over three years. 

CFPA is a nonprofit conservation organization that works to protect forest, parks, walking trails and open spaces for future generations by connecting people to the land. To that end, CFPA works with volunteers to maintain hiking trails throughout Connecticut, including the New England Trail (NET).

In 2009, the 215-mile long NET was designated as one of 11 national scenic trails in the United States, joining such famous trails as Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, among others. The NET terminates right here in Guilford, at Chittenden Park. The purpose of the grant to CFPA is to enhance and protect Chittenden Park by developing a sustainably constructed, handicap-accessible access to the Sound.

Erecting the boardwalk and overlook will complete 16 miles of continuous hiking in Guilford alone, and will facilitate visits from walkers, beachcombers, bird watchers, fishermen, hikers, and park visitors to the place where the land meets the sea, simultaneously protecting the natural environment while creating an opportunity for visitors to experience the shoreline’s natural beauty.

The project reflects a partnership between CFPA, the Town of Guilford Parks & Recreation Department and the National Park Service. Chittenden Park, managed and maintained through the Parks & Recreation Department, provides a spectacular vantage point to view Faulkner’s Island and Chaffinch Island Park, and the park will be further enhanced with a trailhead kiosk displaying an overview of the trail as well as providing a snapshot of the natural history of the area.

Work on the project will commence during the summer of 2013 with a planned dedication event on June 2, 2014, which will coincide with the Town of Guilford’s 375th celebration.

For more information about the project, contact Eric Hammerling, Executive Director of CFPA; Rick Maynard, Director of Guilford Parks & Recreation; or Liza Janssen Petra, the Guilford Foundation.