News: April 2022

Huntley Meadows had seen an increase in the amount of sinkholes and bank erosion this season.  Fortunately, the Conservation Commission was already working with the White River Conservation group to replant the riparian buffer with native trees and shrubs.  This was accomplished with volunteers from the Conservation Commission and Norwich Recreation, as well as professional arbor installation from Redstart Forestry.  The area will continue to be fenced all for the time being.  We have closed one trail, and our baseball parents rototilled/raked and tamped a new pathway. 

Huntley’s tennis courts are more damaged than before.  Last fall, tape was laid down without permission, damaging courts 2 & 3.  The paint peeled up when Adam tried to remove it.   Court 1 was already peeling and had several “dead” areas.   All four back courts are peeling up in large sheets.  We had two arbor companies come down last fall to evaluate the overstory from the pines, and they both agreed that the pines need to either be topped, thinned or completely taken down.  This will need to be planned carefully, due to the proximity of our very active baseball outfield.  I have contacted both of our tennis surfacing companies and neither has openings now, but we are on their radar for an evaluation when they are in our area again.  River Valley Club is helping with finding new contractors, since they would like to host camps and clinics again this year. 

Summer camp registrations opened with a 30% increase in fees.  We opened 8 camps on 4/23.
Youth Advisory Council (6th grade) hosted their first event at the bread oven. They sold 45 pizzas with donations from Ramuntos, Cabot Creamery and King Arthur Baking.  

Foraging Forays had 10 residents join on April 23^rd at Parcel 5.  Participants ranged from 6 years old to 47.  We identified ramps, dandelion, chaga and strawberry. 

Safe Zone Facilitators joined with Massachusetts and Maine to form our Northeast coalition.  Each is putting Safe Zone into the hands of our administrators, who will form state-level DEI committees that will look beyond race to delve into the ways are states are already diverse.

Blueprint Vermont hosted a call with Norwich Recreation (as a town-level administrator) and Vermont Parks and Recreation (as a state-level administrator).  We discussed ways that recreation and healthcare benefit each other, and how our existing programs could be marketed to promote health to a wider, multigenerational community.