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Join us on Thursday, October 24, as the Northwest Vermont Rail Trail Council hosts its Grand Opening of the Sheldon Bridge.
The bridge was closed in 1984 when a train derailment caused one span of the bridge to be destroyed and then removed.
In 1999, the Rail Trail Council was awarded a grant from VAOT's Bicycle and Pedestrian Program to fund the repair of the missing span. Construction of the trail bed and repairs to the existing bridge deck took place during June and July. The new span, which was delivered to the site in two pieces and then bolted together, was swung into place on September 12 and witnessed by many on-lookers.
The repair of Sheldon Bridge marks the formal completion of the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail which up until now has had to detour onto VT Route 105 to cross the river in Sheldon Junction.
The opening ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place Thursday, October 24 at 2:30 pm on Severance Road, off VT Route 105 (behind Devyn's Quick Stop). Parking available at Sheldon Casino. Join Lt. Governor Doug Racine to be among the first Trail users to walk or ride their bicycle across the new Sheldon Bridge. More info, call the Northwest Regional Planning Commission 524-5958.
A huge THANK YOU Ito the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps for supplying materials and a one-week crew of incredibly hardworking young Vermonters to construct and install two information kiosks for the MVRT. The kiosks have been placed at the St. Albans and North Sheldon parking areas.
Many thanks as well to Council member Bill Brunelle for making the kiosk doors and sign-in boxes. We are also indebted to VTrans District 8 for making garage space available to the crew and for supplying a flat-bed truck to transport the kiosks.
The Council is now applying for a grant to produce weather and color resistant maps to be placed in the kiosks. The maps will show the entire Trail as well as feature information specific to each kiosk's location.
The Northwest Vermont Rail Trail Council celebrated National Trails Day this year by holding a friendship drive' in order to increase the number of Friends of the Trail. At the same time, a user survey and count was held in order to find out how many people use the Trail, where they live, how often they use the Trail, etc. Look for the results in a future newsletter.
Many thanks to Coca-Cola for supplying the bottles of water we handed out to users, and to the volunteers for their time doing the counts and interviews.
Work on Richford's abandoned railroad depot is moving along well. Located very close to the Canadian border crossing, the former Canadian Pacific depot on Province Street will be restored to accommodate a welcome center, a railroad museum, and business or office space. The building, which was constructed in 1881, will be restored to look and feel like a train depot. Architects are presently working on designs.
In an effort to publicize the shortage of blood in the American Red Cross' blood bank, Matthew Gosselin of Burlington ran the full 26.4 miles of. the Rail trail in one day. On Friday, August 2, Matthew began his run in Richford at 9 am and was in St. Albans by 2 pm. Good job!
New Bridge for Winooski River - Plans are afoot to construct a bridge over the Winooski River to replace the Bike Ferry that has been running for the past two years. The bridge will connect the 7.5-mile Burlington Bike Path to the 4.5-mile Colchester Causeway Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. This bridge, which will be designed to fit on the abutments of the old railroad bridge dismantled in 1972, will provide a critical link in the emerging Island Line Rail Trail. For more info, call Local Motion (802) 652-BIKE.
As we approach the close of another great season of bicycling, walking/jogging, and horseback riding on the Trail, it's time to welcome back our winter users, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
Friends of the Trail Nini Worman of Franklin and Frances Casey of St. Albans have commented on how courteous and considerate they have found snowmobilers to be. Nini and her husband run on the Trail year round and Frances and her daughter use the Trail to walk their dogs. Both said that snowmobilers invariably slow down when approaching them.
Thank you Nini and Frances for confirming that the MVRT's varied users co-exist in harmony and respect.
Many thanks to VTrans District 8 for all the work they've done on the MVRT this season. Not only has the poison ivy been sprayed, but the ditches have been improved along much of the Trail.
Welcome and thank you to our new Friends,
Your Friendship represents a valid investment in the future of our families, our businesses, and our communities.
And thanks to our faithful Friends of the Trail who have renewed their memberships for another year. Your continued support is greatly appreciated!
The Northwest Vermont Rail Trail Council consists of 21 members. Nine are appointed representatives from the municipalities through which the Trail passes, eight are elected members-at- large, and four are representatives from VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travellers), VTrans (Vermont Agency of Transportation), NRPC (Northwest Regional Planning Commission), and VFP&R (Vermont Forest, Parks & Recreation).
Dorothy and Roy Baker are appointed members to the Council for St. Albans Town and have been involved for over 10 years! If you haven't seen the Bakers bicycling the Trail in summer or snowmobiling on it in the winter, then you have no doubt seen them at the St. Albans parking area.
For the past two summers, the Bakers have kept the parking area mowed, trimmed, and tidy. Many thanks, Dorothy and Roy!
Dave Stanley is an elected member-at-large and has been active with the Council since 1993. He first started using the Trail to bicycle with his children when they were young. He thinks the Trail is a fantastic resource for parents to introduce their children to exercise.
Dave sees the MVRT as a model for the conversion of other rail lines in the state into recreational paths. He's also a great asset on a chicken BBQ assembly line!
Thank you Dave, Dorothy and Roy for so many years of work on behalf of the Trail!
Updated on October 14, 2002 by Kenyon F.
Karl <Webmaster@new-england-rail-trails.org>.
Unintentional errors are likely!
