The following article was compiled from a press release from the NRVT.
At its February Board of Directors’ meeting, the Friends of the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT) voted unanimously to elect longtime Wilton resident Kate Throckmorton as interim president of the organization through 2023. The current president Charlie Taney will assume the role of first vice president.
Throckmorton, an NRVT board member since 2020, agreed to step back from her role as NRVT’s Wilton team leader in the interim. With this leadership shift, Taney will actively search for a board president replacement at a time when the organization is looking for new talent in the face of the expanding work that lies ahead.
“It’s an amazing time to be involved with the NRVT as the Trail will be growing rapidly over the next several years. If you are someone who knows our trail, loves our trail, and you’re interested in being part of a legacy project, talk to me. There’s a place for you on our Board,” Taney said.
Since 2012, the NRVT — in partnership with Norwalk, Danbury, Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield — has applied for CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Recreation Trail Grants and Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LoTCIP) grants to build more sections of trail. With funding from the State of CT and donor contributions, nearly 12 miles of the NRVT have been completed to date in Norwalk, Wilton and Redding.
“I am very happy to step into a new leadership role for the NRVT and continue the NRVT mission. The trail is a fabulous asset for the region, providing a safe multipurpose trail that will eventually provide connectivity along the Norwalk River Valley for all to enjoy the outdoors” Throckmorton said.
NRVT officials said there has been much progress in the last three years in designing and building the planned 30-mile Trail. Sections in Norwalk, Wilton, and Redding officially opened in early 2022. In October 2022, CT Department of Transportation funding letters were received for the Ridgefield Ramble and the continuation of the Wilton Loop North projects. When the current Ridgefield and Wilton lengths are finished, the total length completed of the NRVT will reach the halfway mark at 15 miles.
More recently, the Friends of the NRVT partnered with the Western Council of Governments (WestCOG) in applying for a multi-million dollar planning grant as part of a Federal initiative under Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) to invest $1.5 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. The program helps communities around the country carry out projects with significant local or regional impact and is administered through the Department of Transportation.
“Kate’s proved to be a great team leader in Wilton and she will keep the ship steady and moving forward until the end of the year. My job now is to enlist a new captain,” Taney said, adding, “With funds like RAISE available, it is clear that the Norwalk River Valley Trail is an idea whose time has come. The notion that this trail could be completed in 10 years is not too far-out and I know that there’s someone out there who thinks she or he can make it happen.”
The Friends of the NRVT Board meets monthly at the Comstock Community Center, (180 School Rd., Room 30). The next meeting is Wednesday, March 15 at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend and meetings end no later than 7 p.m. For more information, visit the NRVT website. Interested volunteers should contact Taney directly via email .