FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2024
Contact:
Desira Blanchard
Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
203-489-0353
dblanchard@nvcogct.gov
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments Awarded $270,326 Grant for Kinneytown Section of Naugatuck River Greenway
(Waterbury, CT) – On June 3rd, Governor Lamont announced that the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) is one of forty-five entities selected to receive a Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) 2024 Recreational Trails Program grant. NVCOG will receive $270,326 for planning, preliminary design, and public outreach related to the development of a 2.5-mile ADA-accessible multi-use trail in Ansonia and Seymour.
This project will investigate and begin design of a trail on property associated with Kinneytown Dam, between North 4th Street in Ansonia and Derby Avenue in Seymour. The project will also investigate connections to existing or designed sections of the Naugatuck River Greenway (NRG) Trail in those two communities. The trail will eventually connect to the larger 44-mile NRG Trail, increasing public access to the Naugatuck River, presenting a non-motorized transportation alternative, and offering recreation opportunities for residents of the adjacent historically underserved communities.
This funding will supplement substantial federal and state funding received by NVCOG for the Kinneytown Dam Removal Project and will enhance the restoration of the Naugatuck River post-dam removal. With Kinneytown Dam slated for removal, this project will allow for the planning and design of a section of the NRG Trail to proceed in concert with the dam removal design work, with public outreach and input opportunities being incorporated into those of the larger project. This will ensure the river restoration and recreational additions, like the proposed trail, meet the needs and preferences of the community.
“We are excited about the development of the Kinneytown section of the Naugatuck River Greenway Trail,” said Mayor David Cassetti of Ansonia. “This trail is a significant step forward for Ansonia and the entire Naugatuck Valley.”
“This trail will enhance the connection between our communities and allow our residents to share and experience nature, increase visibility, and make our communities more walkable and inviting,” said First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis of Seymour.
Last year, NVCOG received a $15,000,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and additional funding from the CT DEEP to decommission and remove the non-operational Kinneytown Dam hydroelectric facility and restore fish passage on the Naugatuck River. For more information about the Kinneytown Dam Removal Project, and to stay engaged in the process, please visit the project page at: www.nvcogct.gov/kinneytown.
