Barre City staff and community partners ran five neighborhood walks and four hands-on workshops this spring funded by a $3,050 Climate Catalyst Innovation Fund grant to increase local flood knowledge and homeowner readiness.

The neighborhood walks — in areas including Prospect Street, Tremont Street, Berlin Street and Courier Park — produced resident-sourced observations about local flow paths, clogged drains and opportunities for small-scale improvements.

Workshop topics held at the Aldrich Library included building rain barrels, installing rain gardens, a permitting presentation and a Friends of the Winooski River 'storm-smart' property assessment demonstration with an on-site house visit.

Organizers said workshops were well-attended and fostered neighbor-to-neighbor planning and hands-on skills; grants covered supplies, food and stipends for partners and allowed the city to purchase rain-barrel materials for attendees.

Staff proposed repeating popular topics, offering summer neighborhood walks when attendance is higher, recording select sessions for public access, and developing additional sessions such as winter flooding preparedness, permeable driveway options and 'water-table' hands-on demonstrations.

City staff and the flood resiliency team said they will continue this resident-led approach and incorporate the activities into the adopted flood resiliency plan, with a tentative schedule of updates through October.