Written by Laura Kelly
The CT Trail Symposium is a day I look forward to every year, and it’s so much fun to see it grow. I can’t say enough how energizing it is to be around dedicated trail stewards and organizations, sharing ideas, asking questions, and both celebrating and imagining what is possible when we work together. And this year’s symposium was the largest so far with almost 200 registrants!
The symposium, which took place at Southern CT State University (SCSU) in New Haven, started strong with opening remarks from Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven, and Emma Cimino, CT DEEP Acting Commissioner.
They both praised the dedication of CT’s trail stewards and all that has been accomplished for trail connectivity and bicycle and pedestrian safety, as well as the far-reaching value of trails for our wellbeing.
The morning continued with an overview of the day’s agenda and sponsors from Bruce Donald, chair of the CT Greenways Council and Southern New England Manager of the East Coast Greenway Alliance. SCSU President Sandy Bulmer welcomed attendees to the campus and highlighted the importance of trail access for everyone.
JT Horn (Trust for Public Land) was the highly engaging keynote speaker. He led us through five themes of benefits of trails and greenways, underscoring their potential for building community, boosting local economies, and enhancing public health.
Dan Hodge of Cambridge Econometrics gave a lively presentation about the New Haven and Northampton Canal Greenway and the economic benefits of long bike paths, including estimates based on their own collected trail use data. It was super interesting to hear about another trail use data collection project!
After the morning presentations, the breakout sessions began. I enjoyed hearing Giovanni Zinn and Adam Weber of City of New Haven speak about successful designs that have helped maximize bicycle safety on urban roads and intersections. After more chatting and networking during the lunch break, our CT Trails Program session presentation was in the afternoon.
We spoke about how the programs work, how we aim to support greater connection of trails and community, and the amazing things partners have accomplished with the help of our services, such as advocating for snow removal, safety lighting, ADA compliant restrooms and bollards, as well as providing current maps and information to trail users. I was sincerely pleased to see and hear from so many past and future partners and feel their enthusiasm.
After the symposium, I attended a wonderful walk led by Joe Milone of SCSU, along the West River Greenway. I enjoyed the scenery which included West Rock Ridge and the West River, and I especially enjoyed meeting new people.
I capped off my day at the symposium with a viewing of PBS’s From Rails to Trails documentary in the Adanti Student Center theater, hosted by CT Outdoor Recreation Alliance (CORA). I was fascinated by the effects of rail-to-trails on the surrounding communities, from Vermont, to Missouri, to New York City.
The 8th annual CT Trail Symposium was a rewarding day. It was a fantastic way to connect with the tireless trail stewards around the state and feel renewed excitement for the future of where our work together will take us.
