Grand Opening for MRV Recreation Hub
On October 20 the Mad River Valley Recreation District (MRVRD) and their partners will host the grand opening of the MRV Recreation Hub and celebrate the MRVRD’s 30th Anniversary. For the past 30 years, Mad River Valley Recreation District has played a pivotal role in enhancing, facilitating, and creating recreational opportunities throughout the Mad River Valley to promote community vitality, physical fitness, appreciation for the outdoors, and a high-quality of life. MRVRD spearheaded applying for and implementing the $408,019 grant from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation & Economic Collaborative (VOREC) that funded the MRV Recreation Hub and associated projects. The celebration is ran or shine and takes place at the intersection of Routes 100 and 17 in Waitsfield.
The Recreation Hub includes several key interconnected components: an indoor Welcome Center with maps, recreation resources, and visitor information staffed by the MRV Chamber of Commerce; pedestrian/bike bridge over the Mill Brook with the help of Mad River Riders volunteers; a new trailhead area with an off-grid bathroom and parking; and a new downtown connector path built by the Mad River Path Association. The final component of the VOREC grant is a Conservation Recreation Visioning project (CRV), a community effort to balance ecological integrity and trails. Embracing the principles of CRV, the Recreation Hub incorporates environmental protection measures such as erosion control, runoff mitigation, and an enhanced riparian buffer. A true collaborative effort, the Recreation Hub connects many trails in the Howe Block and Sugarbush with the downtown area and brings together local recreation, municipal, and community partners to transform the recreationalexperience in the heart of the Mad River Valley.
The afternoon will be filled with lively family-oriented activities:
Noon-1:00 pm: Riparian Buffer Planting Begins (Bring tools!)
1:00-1:15: Ribbon Cutting on new Mill Brook Bridge
1:15-2:15: Riparian Buffer Planting Continues (Friends of the Mad River Valley)
Riders Kids’ Bike Event
Guided Hike on Downtown Connector Path & Off-Grid Bathroom Demo (Mad River Path Association)
Tours of the newly refurbished Welcome Center
2:15-3:00 MRVRD 30th Anniversary Celebration (refreshments served at the inside Welcome Center) Volunteer Hero and Lifetime Service Awards announced
MRVRD was founded in 1994 with contributions from the towns of Fayston, Waitsfield, and Warren, has a nine-person volunteer Board and as a Municipal Union is authorized to serve a variety of roles including planning, administration, programming, land acquisition, facility development and maintenance. A key component of the MRVRD’s work is managing an annual grant program that supports local organizations and initiatives that provide recreational opportunities to the community. Through its grant program, the MRVRD has distributed more than $800,000 to various recreation groups during the past three decades. MRVRD is keenly aware that the future of recreation in the Valley is dependent on a commitment to balancing our recreation interests and the ecological integrity of the natural resources that make the Valley so special. The MRVRD’s future work will include taking an active role in supporting the Conservation and Recreation Visioning project into the future.
For more information contact [email protected] or go to: https://www.mrvrd.org
