$1.4 Million in Recreational Trail Grants issued across much of the state
The Recreational Trails Program
is funded through the Federal Highway Administration and is administered in
Rhode Island by DEM and RIDOT.
"These grants will enhance and upgrade existing nature trails and hiking paths and create new opportunities for public trail access sites throughout Rhode Island," said Lt. Governor Sabina Matos. "Spending time in nature is not only good for the body, but for the mind. Time spent outdoors has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, and being able to provide that for Rhode Islanders will only go to improve our residents' quality of life."
"Rhode Island is fortunate to enjoy a strong network of active municipalities and non-profit organizations seeking to provide new and expanded opportunities for Rhode Islanders to explore the beauty of our state's natural areas and woodlands," said Department of Environmental Management Acting Director Terry Gray, PE. "DEM and DOT staff work closely with Federal Highway Administration representatives to support these many wonderful projects."
Funding through this program may be used to create new recreational trails, as well as restore and improve existing recreational trails, for both hikers and other trail users. The grants provide up to 80 percent of the cost for eligible project components that promote and enhance trail-based recreation.
The grant application period opened last winter and the
Trails Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of trail user groups
as well as State agencies, conducted detailed analyses of each proposal.
This year, applications sought funding for more than
three times the annual funding available to the State. By assessing prior
projects and transferring all available funding into the current program,
today's grant awards will leverage nearly $2M investment in trails enhancements
around the state.
Communities and non-profit organizations receiving grants
include:
Audubon Society of RI Project: McIntosh Wildlife Refuge
Trail Upgrade Grant: $19,000 This project will upgrade the existing accessible
trail at Claire McIntosh Refuge in Bristol by improving access from the parking
lot, repairing areas of erosion, maintaining and improving erosion controls,
removing the old gravel composite and resurfacing the trail.
Barrington Project: Harold Gibbs Woods Trail Grant:
$88,000 This project will expand public access to forested wetlands along the
Palmer River through a new trail system extending into conservation parcels
owned by the Town (Harold Gibbs Woods) and the local land trust. The project
will include public parking and user amenities to enhance educational and
passive recreational benefits to the public.
Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the
Blackstone Project: Manville Multimodal (Water) Trail Grant: $28,065 In
partnership with DEM, this project will reinstate the use of the Blackstone
River and canal waterways loop to a navigable trail with identified portages in
Cumberland by removing obstacles and improving access. In addition, a
land-based green trail will be developed from the Blackstone River Bikeway
access at the Albion Road crossing to a high rock outcrop overlooking the
Blackstone River on the Cumberland side of the river.
DEM Parks and Recreation Project: Fort Wetherill Trail
Grant: $99,000 This project will improve the trails that traverse the rocky
coastline and ruins of the historic fort from the Endicott era, and enhance
connectivity and wayfinding at Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown. In
addition, it will establish an ADA-accessible path to the park's historic fort
and offer an audio tour in English and Spanish detailing the history and
natural features of this unusual site.
East Providence Project: Grassy Plains Park Grant:
$72,030 This project includes a new parking lot at the Grassy Plains Park
trailhead, along with a mile and a half of mixed biking and hiking trails and a
half-mile long fully accessible paved trail.
East Providence Project: Trailhead Kiosks Grant: $11,000
This project includes installation of kiosks at Willett Pond trail, Hunt's
Mills trail, Turner Reservoir Loop trail, and Boyden Heights Conservation Area
trailheads.
Foster Land Trust Project: Town-wide Trailhead
Improvements Grant: $81,000 This project will include parking improvements,
kiosks, and signage at four trailheads, providing access to more than 12 miles
of trails owned and maintained by the Foster Land Trust.
Glocester Land Trust Project: Hawkins Pond & Steere
Hill Pavilions Grant: $57,000 This project will include construction of
ADA-compliant wooden pavilions with benches and picnic tables at the Hawkins
Pond and Steere Hill land trust properties. The pavilion at Hawkins Pond will
have a view of the shoreline and pond, and the pavilion at the summit of Steere
Hill will offer wildlife habitat meadow views.
Hopkinton Land Trust Project: Beaver Flood Trail Grant:
$58,000 This project includes the development of a permanent boardwalk to
facilitate crossing a wet area that is frequently flooded by beavers.
Jamestown Project: Hull Cove Grant: $67,600 This project
will provide an environmentally sensitive and handicap-accessible wooden
boardwalk across the wetland area and along the existing public right-of-way to
Hull Cove. The 450-foot boardwalk will include a lip for safety of wheelchairs
and a viewing platform at the end.
Middletown Project: Valley Trail Expansion Grant: $80,000
This project will expand the trail network at the Middletown Valley Park. In
2019 the Town acquired an additional 12.5 acres bringing the total park area to
45.5 acres. This project will construct 0.6 miles of trails on the newly
acquired area.
Mount Hope Land Trust Project: Mount Hope Farm Grant:
$20,000 This project will rehabilitate the trails and improve handicap
accessibility at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol. New signage, maps, and materials
will be available for the public in two new kiosks.
Norman Bird Sanctuary Project: Universally Accessible
Trail and Gray Craig Trail Grant: $68,600 This project will improve the heavily
used trails by restoring a portion of the ADA-compliant trail and the
associated trailhead parking area and replacing the boardwalk over Paradise
Brook on the Gray Craig Trail.
North Kingstown Project: Ryan Park Improvements Grant:
$88,000 Trail improvements at Ryan Park will include trail markers,
improvements to the pedestrian crossing signage near the ballfields, bicycle racks,
trailhead improvements, kiosks, vegetation maintenance and trimmings, trail
resurfacing, interpretive markers, and pet waste stations. This project also
includes limited clearing to incorporate a loop for the North Kingstown
cross-country team.
Portsmouth Project: Trail Improvements at Melville Park
Grant: $31,696 This project will create an ADA-accessible trail connecting
scenic areas of the park.
Richmond Rural Land Preservation Trust Project: Saila
Preserve Grant: $76,000 This project will include construction of an access
road and parking area from Chelsea Farm Drive onto Saila Preserve.
Scituate Land Trust Project: Town-wide Trailhead
Improvements Grant: $99,533 This project will support trailhead improvements at
Lawton Farm, Westconnaug Meadows, Esek Hopkins Park, and Doctors Lane. All four
sites have parking facilities available, and this project will develop
additional parking at the Doctors Lane site and improved signage.
Smithfield Land Trust Project: Ken Weber Trail Grant:
$33,500 This project will provide trail improvements at the Latham Brook
Preserve, Wolf Hill Preserve, James Russell Preserve, and Mowry Conservation
Area trails including grading and resurfacing of parking areas, kiosks, and
trail marking.
The Nature Conservancy Project: Narragansett Trail Grant:
$48,000 The Nature Conservancy will work in partnership with the Hopkinton
Conservation Commission and Narragansett Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain
Club to restore about 18 miles of the Narragansett Trail, a 44-mile long hiking
trail in the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed. The project also will improve parking
and signage at Narragansett trail, Canochet Preserve trail, and Hoxie Farm
trail in Hopkinton.
Warwick Project: Greene Nature Trail Grant: $85,000 This
project will create safe pedestrian access directly from the Apponaug Center
area to the historic General George Sears Greene Cemetery. It will include the
installation of a paved pedestrian access path from Centerville Road to Kettle
Street, an expanded paved accessible parking area, an accessible trail with
overlooks and picnic areas, benches with companion seating, educational and
wayfinding signage, fencing and bollards.
Westerly Project: White Rock Road Kayak Launch Grant:
$99,000 This project supports construction a formal access point to the
Pawcatuck River for paddlers and anglers. It will include an ADA-compliant
launch/path to the water, parking area improvements, and the installation of
signage and two kayak racks.
Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council Project: Gotham
Greens Grant: $100,000 This project includes the development of a 1,000-foot
long shared use path along the eastern bank of the Woonasquatucket River in
Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, along with new benches, interpretive
signs and native plantings to support local wildlife habitat.
Rhode Island's outdoor recreation industry is an
increasingly important part of our state's economy, contributing an estimated
$3.3 billion annually and supporting 36,000 jobs. As part of a larger network
of recreational opportunities in the state, municipal facilities play an
important role in beautifying communities, supporting public health, and
promoting a cleaner environment.
DEM's Green Space programs – which include Recreational Trails, Outdoor Recreation, and Local Open Space grants – fund land conservation, recreational land acquisition and development, and recreational trail development and improvements statewide. Rhode Island's historic parks, bikeways, and green spaces provide opportunity for public enjoyment – in addition to improving the health of the environment, strengthening the state's climate resilience, and supporting the economy.
According to the Outdoor Industry
Association, outdoor recreation in Rhode Island generates $2.4 billion in
consumer spending and supports 24,000 local jobs.
For information about DEM programs and services, visit
www.dem.ri.gov. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or on
Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.