Home - Vernon Greenways Volunteers

Build A Suspended Bridge

Starting the first week in July 2017 the Vernon Greenways Volunteers began assisting in the building of a 100+ foot suspended bridge over the Hockanum River on Windsorville Road (Rt 74). It is located directly across from the Sewage Treatment Plant on what use to be a trolley line. This for the first time gives us a direct connection between our thru trail (Dart Hill North) to the Ellington thru trail system that will eventually lead to a continuous trail from the mouth of the Hockanum River to where it meets the Connecticut River.

The project was lead by Dave Smith, Vernon Town Engineer, who supplied the engineering expertise while we supplied in excess of 750 hours of volunteer labor. With the addition of approximately 550 hours from other sources this all volunteer project took a total of 1,300 hours to complete. The project was funded by a DEEP Grant. Construction was filmed in conjunction with the Community Voice Channel and will be released some time in 2018.

CT Trail Census

In 2017 the Vernon Greenways Volunteers participated in a statewide census collection project to collect data from 15 multiuse trails. The data collected was forwarded to the University of Connecticut for analysis. We are responsible for the Vernon section of the Hop River Trail. An infrared counter was installed on the trail between the Church Street parking lot and Phoenix Street which recorded trail users as they passed. The counters are inspected by us every two weeks to insure they are operating properly. On May 12th, June 19th and July 20th we did two hour manual counts that were compared to the actual counts for that same period and an adjustment factor was developed that would be applied to future counts to insure accuracy of published numbers. In addition on May 13th, May 15th, June 16th and June 18th surveys were handed out to trail users so that we could better understand, among other things, such things as: age, gender, residence and economic impact to the town. The manual counts and surveys will be ongoing in subsequent years.

The goal is to better understand who is using the multi-use trails, when, why and by what means. Information can be used to educate trail user groups, administrators, state and local government agencies and the general public about trails. Ultimately, the information gathered will be used to develop programs and facilities that will provide a better product for the user, information for administrating agencies and create an economic impact for the town.

Vernon Greenways Volunteers In Action

The following photos will give you an idea of the type of tasks the Vernon Greenways Volunteers undertakes. Our season begins in the Spring and continues into October.

Click on the images for larger size.

The 2,500 square foot mural, established in 2015 and dedicated in 2016 requires occasional graffiti removal.

Spring cleanup at the Warren Avenue Planting. One of the eight we maintain on the Rail Trail.

Trail Maintenance Team repairs erosion on Rail Trail near Maple Avenue.

Weed Whacking Team working on Dart Hill North Hiking Trail behind Vernon Gardens.

Beetlemania 2012. — “Beetlemania – We annually inspect trees adjacent to the Rail Trail to see if there is any damage caused by the Asian Longhorned Beetle or Emerald Ash Borer.

Removing garlic mustard, an invasive, from Dart Hill South Park's Stone Dust Trail. — Removing garlic mustard, an invasive, from Dart Hill South Park’s Stone Dust Trail.

Install footings prior to relocation of bridge in background to its new site.

Move an eighteen foot five hundred pound bridge to a new site on the Hockanum River Linear Park Trail.