Trails + Trucks: Join Friends of River Park, Sundays Starting 8/2, For Food Trucks + Walking Trails at River Park
Starting Sunday, August 2nd a new event series hosted by Friends of River Park will bring Food Trucks and Local Vendors to River Park West Lebanon on Sundays to encourage public access to the walking trails and Connecticut River waterfront.
Conceived as a way to encourage safe outdoor activities for the community in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Friends of River Park and Lyme Properties have worked to better establish the informal walking trails that have criss-crossed the property since the waterfront was deeded as publicly accessible open space in 2018. Two trails have been mowed and marked for public access:
Riverfront Trail (Blue): a meandering path leading from Route 10 down to the Connecticut River waterfront.
Meadow Walk (Green): an easy walking loop through the upper parcel.
A 1920s Worcester Dining Car will serve as the anchor of activity, with Food Trucks and Vendors invited to set up around the perimeter of Lot 1. Visitors are encouraged to "grab-and-go” from vendors and find a safe place to enjoy their food. Picnic tables have been placed around the property to encourage Social Distancing. Parking will be available in the grass off Route 10.
No dogs are allowed during Trails + Trucks, but on-leash dogs under owner’s control are welcome other days of the week. There are no facilities available at River Park, and visitors are required to take all their trash with them.
The idea for public access to the Connecticut River at this site originated during Lyme’s Neighborhood Planning Process in 2007-2009, and was incorporated into the resultant River Park Master Plan. The vision was expanded upon during the River Park Landscape Design Competition in 2015, the results of which can be viewed here. Friends of River Park was created in 2015 to become the eventual owner of the waterfront parcel, and deed restrictions were placed on Lot 6– the 6-acre waterfront parcel– in 2018.
In 2019, Lyme Properties presented the vision for Public Access to the Connecticut River and Regional Connectivity to the Lebanon Conservation Commission, which was covered in a Valley News story, and an editorial.
Although this summer’s Trails are far from the finished vision, the decision was made to launch “Version 1.0” informally to deliver on the commitment to the community while details are worked out with Friends of River Park, the Lebanon Conservation Commission, and other Stakeholders.
