Avalonia Awarded $355,750 By CT Recreational Trails Grant Program!

Of the 50 grants awarded, only a handful went to land trusts. We were among them!

Avalonia had previously received a grant from the same funding program to commission a design plan from Chad Frost of Kent+Frost Landscape Architecture. The design, which was vetted, adjusted, and critiqued during a series of public forums in Norwich, is notable for its playfulness and its acknowledgement that, just as disability varies from person to person, so should an outdoor environment offer a variety of opportunities.

 

 

The Cedar Wood Preserve dedication in 2022
A designated accessible parking at Cedar Wood Preserve

 

 

In addition to a trail that will meet or go beyond the stringent standards of the Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines, the plan includes rocks for climbing and touching; a rope guide to aid independent exploration by people with visual disabilities; accessible signage; a charming gathering area for rest and reflection; and so, so much more, all thoughtfully conceived to comport with the principles of passive recreation. (The grant also includes a line item for accessible mapping.) This will be an environment for people with and without disabilities to savor and enjoy together.

 

 

Kevin Harkins gets to know the chimney swift tower through touch
An accessible bridge over a vernal pool at Cedar Wood Preserve’s entrance

 

 

Since 2021, Avalonia has developed and refined an accessibility initiative that continues to evolve. From a Braille brochure to amplified and sign language interpreted walks to detailed program announcements that provide key data on an event’s accessibility, we have worked to ‘open up open space’ to every part of our constituency. For these and other efforts, Avalonia received the CT Land Conservation Council’s very first Excellence in Community Engagement Award in 2023.

Modification of a property was the most vexing and formidable challenge. From before the time of its dedication in 2022, we had identified Cedar Wood as a prime candidate for installation of a highly accessible trail. From then on, we began exploring opportunities for achieving what now has transformed from dream to realistic goal. With more than half the total cost obtained from this grant, the task is now to raise the remaining $250,000.

 

 

The late Carissa Decelles speaks at the Cedar Wood Preserve dedication on the importance of accessible open space

 

 

The late Carissa Decelles was an early and vocal supporter of this project. During an interview with The Day in 2022 about Cedar Wood, Carissa, a wheelchair user, said that this environment, with its flat, grassy meadow area, would provide an experience that had never been accessible to her. It’s almost here, Carissa, it’s almost here.

 

Elanah Sherman,
Avalonia Board of Directors