Town receives recreational trails program grant

Mountain bike trails near reality
KILLINGTON—The Town of Killington has been awarded a $50,000 Recreational Trails Program Grant from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation to help develop the town’s planned mountain bike trail system on national forest land.
The trails to be constructed adjacent to Kent Pond are part of a larger town-wide initiative to link Killington Resort’s mountain biking trails with the greater Killington community and nearby public lands, and to elevate the region’s status in the mountain bike market. It also further promotes the town as a premier four-season destination for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. The trail system is a collaboration with the Killington Mountain Bike Club (a Vermont Mountain Bike Association chapter), and the Town of Killington. The $50,000 grant requires a 20 percent match, which will be fulfilled by the KMBC and the town.
“Collaborating with the National Forest Service, KMBC and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association has been a win for the next steps in building the new trails,” says Kim Peters, recreation director for the town. “Grant writing is timely and detailed, but the reward comes in receiving the grant, which supports our town’s master plan to build this accessible, family-friendly trail system.”
Construction on the first two miles of a cross-country network in the Green Mountain National Forest will begin this summer. When completed, the network will boast 15-plus miles of mountain bike trails.
Mountain biking is a known economic driver in support of four-season tourism promotion, with an economic impact over ten times greater than the ski/snowboard market. A study conducted by the small town of East Burke, Vt., found that its trail network brings 40,000 visitors and an estimated $4 million annually to the economy.
Along with pursuing multiple grants, the Town of Killington has committed annual funding to its recreation restricted fund, to be used to finance the proper development and maintenance of trails.
For more information, visit www.killingtontown.com.