Taylor Litwin, staff with Friends of the Winooski River, told the Northfield River Walk Committee on Wednesday that the group received a Lake Champlain Basin Program grant to fund a “Reconnecting with Rivers” project and is inviting Northfield to join a three-town cohort meeting on July 14 in Montpelier.

The grant will provide a set amount of funding for each participating town and Friends of the Winooski River is selecting a consultant this week to help with community outreach and implementation. “The goal of the grant is to bring your community closer to the river,” Litwin said, describing possible activities from improved river access to targeted outreach for under-engaged populations.

Litwin said the cohort includes Northfield, Barrie, and Winooski and that the cohort meeting will be July 14 at 5:30 p.m. at 36 College Street in Montpelier. She told the committee the project team is reviewing seven proposals and that “we're supposed to select them and notify them by Friday,” after which the consultant would join Friends of the Winooski staff to help plan local steps. The selected consultant, Litwin said, will be someone with Central Vermont experience and will remain with the project through 2027.

Committee members and Litwin discussed local priorities. Litwin said Northfield’s early focus has been working with the Northfield Conservation Commission to identify clean-water projects such as culvert replacement and riparian tree planting. She suggested smaller engagement actions that could build momentum locally, including river walks to identify trail features and informal flagging exercises to visualize a proposed route.

Committee members raised accessibility and property concerns. Litwin confirmed the cohort work will consider ADA accessibility, signage and outreach design. Members warned that later phases of a riverwalk would require negotiations with private landowners; one member said portions of the proposed route cross private parcels and would need permissions and possible coordination with Vermont State Housing for parcels with housing facing the route.

The committee also linked the riverwalk route to the Cross Brothers Dam removal; Litwin noted construction of the route may depend on dam removal timing. She offered to follow up with Karina Daley, identified as a resource for the dam project, after a scheduled meeting later in the week.

Litwin encouraged committee members to attend two near-term events: a Friends-sponsored clean water workshop led by Michelle Braun on June 25 at 6 p.m. and the July 14 cohort meeting in Montpelier. She said she will send a flyer and follow-up email with dates and a poll to schedule local walk-throughs if the committee requests them.

Committee members discussed outreach options — farmers market and local walking groups — and considered staging a short guided walk from the Tuesday farmers market to attract participants. Litwin said she can provide marketing materials and coordinate poll-based scheduling to include members who could not attend the meeting.