Heavy rains last Monday exposed a culvert, and caused other damage to the lower section of the West River Trail. Please come to our trail work day this Sunday, June 25, from 1-5 PM to help maintain our community trail. Meet up at the Fox Farm Rd trail access. Wear your boots and work gloves, bring bug spray and water. We’ll have tools! The trail really needs your help! Thank you! Email us at lowersection@gmail.com for info or questions.
Author: KW
West River Trail Work Day
Save the date!
Do you love the West River Trail?
Please come help out at our Volunteer Trail Work Day scheduled for Sunday, June 25, from 1-5 PM. Meet us at 1 at the Fox Farm Rd Trail Head and stay as long as you like.
Bring work gloves, water, insect repellent, loppers. We’ll have shovels and other tools. We’ll be working on improving drainage in some wet areas and trail clearing where needed. Email lowersection@gmail.com for more information and to let us know you’re coming. Thank you!
Successful Trail Workday + New Picnic Table
New Picnic Table on the Riverstone Preserve
Thanks to Jim Webster’s carpentry talents, there is now a picnic table on the Riverstone Preserve for all to use. It’s made of white oak and very pretty! Thank you Jim!
When heading north on the WRT, once you are on the preserve take the 1st trail. It leads to the water’s edge. As you get close to the shore, you will find the picnic table on a little rise to the right of the trail. Bring a picnic or just sit a spell. Let us know if you used it and how you like it!
Drainage Work Accomplished
Eight enthusiastic souls showed up for trail work at the Fox Farm Road Trail Access at 9 am Saturday July 23. John, a new volunteer who lives right in the neighborhood showed up with his Kubuto excavator, which was invaluable. Jenny, a hard worker from West Brattleboro, was also a new volunteer. Thanks to both of them! Paul, Lester, Jeff, Kathleen and Jim, veteran volunteers, also showed up, led by our intrepid trail work leader, Jason. The excavator helped us dig better drainage ditches in several areas that tend to overflow. A new 6″ plastic culvert was placed where an old rusty one was removed, and one culvert was extended with new pipe. We trust that when we finally get rain, trail users will see these sections of the trail stay dry or drier. Unfortunately, none of us remembered to take photos of the excavator and it’s driver, or the rest of the work crew and the work that was done. Sorry about that!!!
Thank you to everyone who worked that day to improve the trail for all users!
West River Trail Workday Sat July 23
Please join us this Saturday, July 23, 9 AM for a trail workday!
We will be installing 2 culverts and cleaning some drainage ditches to improve drainage in heavy rains and do more work on removal and control of invasive plants.
The trail is in very good condition this year. Our work will help keep the trail dry and easy to use. Come help out for a couple of hours this Saturday morning! We will have fun and hope to have some refreshments.
Important: This trip will be meeting at 9:00am. We will be meeting at the Fox Farm Rd access.
Directions: Fox Farm Rd is near the intersection of Black Mountain Rd and Rice Farm Rd. Fox Farm Rd is a right off of Black Mtn Rd from the Rice Farm Rd direction. It is a left turn off Black Mtn Rd from the World Learning direction. Once on Fox Farm Rd, the trail head is a short distance down the road on the right. Look for a group of volunteers congregating.
Bring: footwear for working in wet ground, gloves, a water bottle & bug spray. We have plenty of tools. If you prefer to bring your own, we suggest: iron rake, hoe, or shovel. Please label your tools clearly.
We look forward to working with you to improve the trail! Thanks!
For more information, contact: Jason Cooper at jason.cooper10@gmail.com
Correction! Save the Dates for West River Trail Workdays!
Upcoming workdays are scheduled for Thursday, June 9 at 4 PM & Saturday, July 23 at 9 AM (NOT June 23)
Apologies for the confusion!
Thursday, June 9, 4 PM
Remove/control Japanese Knotweed on the cobblestone shoreline of the Riverstone Preserve. Meet at the Marina Trailhead. Bring water, work gloves, snack, bug dope, wear work boots. We have tools, but bring your own if you prefer–shovel and loppers. Help keep the Riverstone Preserve beautiful and able to support its native plants! Contact pcameron@brattleboro.org for more information on the June 9 workday.
Saturday, July 23, 9 AM
Meet at the Fox Farm Rd access. We will replace a culvert, work on drainage issues and do more work on removal and control of invasive plants. More information to come. Contact jason.cooper10@gmail.com for more information on the July 23 workday.
Many hands make light work! Please join us! See previous post for details.
Contact pcameron@brattleboro.org for more information on the June 9 workday.
Contact jason.cooper10@gmail.com for more information on the July 23 workday.
Save the Dates! Two West River Trail Workdays Scheduled
Two West River Trail Work Days scheduled:
Thursday, June 9, 4 PM
Remove/control Japanese Knotweed on the cobblestone shoreline of the Riverstone Preserve. Meet at the Marina Trailhead. Bring water, work gloves, snack, bug dope, wear work boots. We have tools, but bring your own if you prefer–shovel and loppers. Help keep the Riverstone Preserve beautiful and able to support its native plants! Contact pcameron@brattleboro.org for more information on the June 9 workday.
Saturday, July 23, 9 AM
Meet at the Fox Farm Rd access. We will replace a culvert, work on drainage issues and do more work on removal and control of invasive plants. More information to come. Contact jason.cooper10@gmail.com for more information on the July 23 workday.
Many hands make light work! Please join us!
Thank you for considering coming out to help maintain the beautiful West River Trail!
Prevent Lyme Disease
It’s tick season, but don’t let it stop you from getting out on the trail. Please be aware of precautions you can take to prevent getting Lyme Disease. Be careful out there. Stay on the trail and out of the high grass and leaf litter. Wear light clothing so you can see a tick. Tuck your pants into your socks if possible. Wear DEET on your clothing. Check your body when you get home. Taking these steps, you can definitely still get out enjoy the trail!
Windham County Historical Society 2nd Annual Soup Fest and Silent Auction
West River Railroad Depot, Newfane, Vermont
The Windham County Historical Society is going to 36 miles of trouble to hold their 2nd Annual Soup Fest and Silent Auction on Sunday, March 20, 2016. Doors open at 4:00PM with a $5.00 admission at the NewBrook Fire Station (Route 30 in Newfane, VT). The event will help raise funds for the Windham County Historical Society’s restoration of the 1880 Newfane Railroad Station as a Museum of the West River Railroad and annex to the Windham County Museum in Newfane.
You won’t have to ride the West River Railroad’s “36 Miles of Trouble” to enjoy a variety of soups from Brattleboro to South Londonderry. Ten restaurants from the 10 Depot towns along the old West River Railroad are bringing them to you: Whetstone Station (Brattleboro), Top of the Hill Grill (Dummerston), The Eatery (Williamsville), Rick’s Tavern (Newfane), Harmonyville Store (Townshend), Dam Diner (West Townshend), Bitter Sweet Memories Cafe (Wardsboro), D&J Jamaica Grocery (Jamaica), Whiskey Dicks (Winhall), The New American Grill (South Londonderry).
Silent Auction bidding and the 50/50 raffle begin at 4:00. Soup, bread and fixings will be served at 5:00 PM, followed by desserts. Silent auction bids and the 50/50 raffle will close at 5:30 PM. The Society welcomes items for the silent auction (goods and/or services) to help make this year’s event another success. If you have items you are willing to donate, please contact Jane Robinson at 896-6102 or Sally Topitzer at 365-7698.
An exhibit of the West River Railroad’s “36 Miles of Trouble” will be on display including the Newfane Railroad Station diorama (built by model craftsman of international renown Bill Banta, and on loan from Doug Cox), along with vintage photographs of the West River Railroad.
Riverstone Preserve Trail
I walked on the new Riverstone Preserve trail yesterday, along the shoreline, that the VYCC crew created. It’s lovely! But I missed the new steps! Are they hidden?
Here’s an invitation to come out on the West River Trail and find the mysterious new stone steps. When you find them, let me know where they are!
THE WEST RIVER TRAIL 