Community Rallies To Revitalize The Groton Rail Trail
The Gateway Project has been a collaborative effort, states Nahmias, who has spearheaded much of the Project in recent years and shares a common vision for the future of Groton with Gary Lamberton from the Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club, Groton Recreation Commission’s Mike Gaiss, and Greg Western, Executive Director of the Cross Vermont Trail Association (CVTA). “This project was the genesis of several like-minded, hardworking Groton residents who were in the right place at the right time.”
By Trish Griswold
Members of the Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club repaired the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge, providing safe, dependable snowmobile access to the Cross Vermont Trail.
GROTON - Neighbors helping neighbors has been a long-standing tradition in the small, rural community of Groton, VT, and newly-elected Selectman Mike Nahmias, who moved to the area in 2017 and has served as Planning Board Chair for several years, has had the privilege of experiencing first-hand the power of many hands making light work for the Town.
“Groton has got a lot of heart,” remarks Nahmias, who estimates that, over the last 50+ years, 250 of the town’s 950 citizens have been directly involved in helping Groton’s Gateway Project, a grass roots economic growth initiative, come to fruition. The intent of the Gateway Project was to upgrade Groton’s portion of the Cross Vermont Trail (CVT), a four-season, multi-use trail network that spans the State of Vermont, east to west from the Connecticut River at the Vermont/New Hampshire border in Wells River to the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington. The CVT follows the railbed in Groton for 10 miles, the longest segment of the CVT in any town.
“Groton is located at the highest elevation on the trail, the summit, and we are a destination for trail users as we have campgrounds, lakes, ponds, hiking trails, and the forest,” explains Nahmias. “I see us as one of the anchor communities along the trail. Having the new surface in both the town and the forest, we really have the best segment at this time along the trail.”
The Gateway Project has been a collaborative effort, states Nahmias, who has spearheaded much of the Project in recent years and shares a common vision for the future of Groton with Gary Lamberton from the Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club, Groton Recreation Commission’s Mike Gaiss, and Greg Western, Executive Director of the Cross Vermont Trail Association (CVTA). “This project was the genesis of several like-minded, hardworking Groton residents who were in the right place at the right time.”
Nahmias also credits previous Groton Selectboards, Planning Commissions, and other Town Officers for “their forethought in acquiring the railbed from the State of Vermont when it was offered to the Town in the 1980s, for putting an ordinance in place to preserve the railbed as a recreational property with limited access for vehicles, and for drafting a Town Plan with goals and strategies that laid the groundwork for the Town to continue to maintain and improve the trail and embrace its presence as an economic driver for town businesses.”
Funding for the Gateway Project was made possible through a $225,000 grant from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC), a state-run program managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD). One of VOREC’s primary goals is to “strengthen connections between Vermont’s outdoor recreation resources and the benefits that come from participation in outdoor recreation.”
According to Nahmias, the Gateway Project is multi-faceted with many different segments. One portion of the project was to regrade sections of the existing railbed, install and replace eight culverts along the railbed, and install two barrier gates. A landslide in 2023 and a major flood in 2024 caused delays to this portion of the project, but townsfolk and volunteers have persevered despite these challenges.
Another key component of the Gateway Project was to build a 60’ by 100’ all-season parking area near the Village Center (at the old stump dump) and a trailhead with 10 parking spaces, making the CVT fully accessible to snowmobilers, bikers, snowshoers, cross country skiers, horseback riders, walkers, runners, dog sledders, etc. Crucial to the project was acquisition of the lower Groton hydroelectric power station property, a 3-acre parcel of land formerly owned by Green Mountain Power, and the development of a master plan for the proposed 12-acre Groton Gateway Park, which includes the former stump dump and gravel pit as well as retention of its current emergency management use.
Signage and wayfinding for the project were completed in collaboration with the CVTA. This included the design and installation of 50 directional signs on the railbed trail, 6 wayfinding signs, one sign on the road, 2 kiosks, 12 winter trail maps, and a digital map of the railbed trail for the Town’s website. Separate from the grant, Nahmais says, the Buckaroos of 302, whom he refers to as “the unsung heroes of the project,” also repaired the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge. These repairs have improved trail accessibility for snowmobilers in the winter months and helped get bikers off Route 302 and onto the trail, increasing safety for everyone.
According to CVTA Board Chair Mike Thomas, the hope is that the newly revitalized rail trail will provide an inviting, safe recreational opportunity for everyone to enjoy the benefits of nature and an active lifestyle. “The Park will be a draw for people to the area, and locals can take advantage of it too with access to the Village of Groton. It ties the community together.”
Former Selectboard Member Deb Jurist is one of many Groton residents who have utilized the CVT for years. “I have been riding my bike on the railroad bed since 1984 when I bought the Stoneshed in Ryegate and built my business, Mountain Meadows Pottery. I have seen a lot of changes over the years for sure. But it still holds true that there is always something to discover on the railroad bed. It might be a green heron, the sound of croakers in the spring, or sumac with leaves in green, yellow and red. The railroad bed never disappoints.”
The revitalized trail, Jurists says, makes for a smoother ride. She recently shared that, decades ago, she and her then 3-year-old daughter nicknamed one of the biggest puddles on the old trail “Sinker.” Thankfully, “Sinker” and the other puddles are gone. “[The railroad bed] is vastly easier to ride on now that it has been upgraded, which makes it much more accessible to me at 75 years old.”
Many local businesses, Vermont-based companies, and community volunteers, including: Berry’s Forest Products, Blue Mountain Excavation, Oliver Landworks, Rise and Run Timber Frames, Robco, SE Group and the Buckaroos of 302, have been instrumental in bringing the Gateway Project to life. “Over 1000 volunteer hours were put into this project,” Nahmias says, “and we couldn’t have done this work without them.”
More information about the CVT, including up-to-date trail maps, are available online at https://crossvermont.org/. Additional information is available on the Groton, VT, website at https://grotonvt.com/.
Repairs to the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge have increased safety for nature goers by getting bicycle traffic off the roadway and onto the Cross Vermont Trail.
The “before” picture on the left shows the surface of Groton’s rail trail (between the Village and Pine Mountain) prior to recent changes. The “after” picture on the right shows the revitalized trail roughly one mile east, closer to Pine Mountain.
The newly designed Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club trail map showcases snowmobile trails in Groton as well as other noteworthy landmarks and reference points.
The Rocking Chairs’ Last Street Dance Curtain Call
Given their popularity and overwhelming success, one might question why The Rocking Chairs would call it quits after nearly two decades of performing for the community they love. “Unfortunately life changes,” Mike says, citing increasing costs, travel expenses, arthritis, and other health issues as the main reasons.
By Trish Griswold
Mike Lusby has created The Rocking Chairs’ next album cover, an animated picture collage that depicts the band’s current members. Pictured (clockwise from top left) are: Bobby Caffey, Alex Valliant, Mike Lusby, Jim Lusby, and Ron Barale. - Courtesy photo
Bath, NH - Last Saturday night, The Rocking Chairs’ soulful classic rock music reverberated for miles as townspeople, young and old, congregated on the Bath Common one final time to sing, dance, and celebrate.
The Rocking Chairs, a local band comprised of close friends and family, has been the heart and soul of the Bath Firefighters’ Benefit Concert/Street Dance for the past 17 years, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when public venues throughout the state were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The band, which currently features brothers Mike and Jim Lusby on drums and bass guitar respectively, Ron Barale and Bobby Caffey on guitar and Alex Valliant on lead vocals, makes it their mission each year to share their passion for music with family, friends, and neighbors. Their annual concert is free and doubles as an opportunity to help raise funds to support the town’s 17-member volunteer fire department. “[Chief] Donnie Bowman has said to me many times that, even if we didn’t raise any money or get any donations, the Fire Department loves giving the town something to do together,” Mike explains. “I think that’s perfectly worded because that’s what it’s all about.”
According to Mike, former Fire Chief Willy Minot was receptive when he approached the Fire Department in 2007 with a philanthropic proposal to cultivate community spirit and raise much-needed funds. The Rocking Chairs’ relationship with the Fire Department evolved from there. Monies raised have provided numerous college scholarships for local seniors and helped off-set the cost(s) of big ticket items, such as equipment, so that firefighters have access to the tools they need without over-burdening tax payers. “It was Ron’s idea to do a benefit for some entity, and we’ve been doing [the concert/street dance] ever since.”
From January to August each year, a considerable amount of work happens behind the scenes. Mike handles most of the event planning, from scheduling and advertising to production and sponsorships. He has developed a network of local businesses that donate goods and services, including WMUR meteorologist Kevin Skarupa, who provides up-to-the-minute forecasts starting one week before the event. “He’s our lucky charm,” Mike quips. “We haven’t been rained out in 17 years.”
In order to “pull this off,” Mike says, it requires an incredible amount of support from a myriad of community partners. Strawberry Farm Band opens for The Rocking Chairs, Don Vogt from Audio Farm Productions provides sound and lighting, and the Bath Police Department, with assistance from surrounding departments, provides crowd control and emergency services. “People have really respected it,” Ron comments. “We’ve never had any problems. Nobody ever disrespected it.”
Other sponsors include: WYKR, Amoskeag Beverages, The Little Grille, Jamie Lynn’s Kitchen, Red’s Auto Spa, Heathen Design Co., and Fresh Coat Finishes. In addition to holding a raffle, the Fire Department prepares a barbecue luncheon consisting of burgers, hot dogs, potato chips, and soda. They also “took over a lot of the heavy lifting” several years ago when assembling the stage, risers, etc. became too much for the band members. “We do the benefit for them, but they do a lot of the work.”
Given their popularity and overwhelming success, one might question why The Rocking Chairs would call it quits after nearly two decades of performing for the community they love. “Unfortunatley life changes,” Mike says, citing increasing costs, travel expenses, arthritis, and other health issues as the main reasons. “We will still record and do parties on the grass [at home] during the day when it’s warm, but we’re getting too old for this.”
When asked about the future of the Street Dance, Chief Bowman replies, “It’s tremendous what Mike has done. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do to have someone take Mike’s spot at the Street Dance because it’s Mike. It’s his doing. It’s The Rocking Chairs. It’s their thing. It just doesn’t feel right.”
The Rocking Chairs may have had their last curtain call, but fans can still purchase their music, including originals and covers, on a variety of platforms, such as Amazon Music and iTunes.