Brookfield’s Still River Greenway To Expand, Parking To Be Added
No one, not even Brookfield officials thought the Still River Greenway would become as popular as it has. Now, just three years after it officially opened, an expansion project is in the works.
Thanks to a state grant of more than $207,000, the town now has the option of extending the current trail by 2,500 feet, and connecting the Greenway to an existing 25-car parking lot at the firehouse on Pocono Road.
Those who use the trail on a regular basis know the top concern is the availability of parking adjacent to the Greenway. Now with the expansion, some of the issues with limited parking will be alleviated.
Brookfield First Selectman Steve Dunn explained the importance of the expansion to the News Times:
It gives us another way for people to access the Still River Greenway safely and park safely. With the extension, users could hop right on the paved path after parking by the firehouse. The path will go around the soccer field near Town Hall, past the gazebo, next to the soccer field by the police station and connect to the greenway. This will be perfect, too, for residents attending the town’s summer concerts at the gazebo, often, 15 to 25 residents listen to the music from their wheelchairs in the parking lot because they cannot get down to the gazebo.
There could be even more expansion coming to the Greenway soon. There's another proposal in the works to connect the Greenway to a trail in New Milford.
As far as the current expansion is concerned, the Board of Selectmen have already approved the grant, but the finance board still needs to do so. If that board approves the project, then a special town meeting would be scheduled for March 4th.
As far as a timeline for the current expansion project, Dunn told the News Times, that he hopes construction could start in the fall of 2019.
Here's some great drone footage of the trails on the Greenway: