The Rails to Trails Committee has received good news. It has confirmation that its application for an additional $226,155 for construction of the North Brook Trail has been approved.
The funding was allocated by Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program following a competitive review process conducted by Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in partnership with the Connecticut Greenways Council. The funding for the Recreational Trails Grant Program was previously allocated by the State Bond Commission.
The additional funding is needed because of a delay by DEEP in approving a permit for the project, which has to pass over a substantial body of water created by beavers. The delay was long enough so the beavers raised and expanded the pond, requiring the boardwalk that will traverse it to be raised and lengthened.
At the same time, the cost of materials and labor went up significantly, leaving a shortfall between the $399,000 state grant allocated in 2023 and the $774,406 bid that was awarded for construction this summer.