Housatonic River Walk Celebrated its 25th Anniversary with Sept. 8, 2012, Riverside Celebration:
The Great Barrington Housatonic River Walk—Berkshire County’s National Recreation Trail—celebrated its 25th anniversary on September 8, and formalized its partnership with Greenagers, the local organization that actively fosters the ethics of service and stewardship in area youth.
The riverside festival was held at the Du Bois River Garden park at Church and River Streets, where the baton was passed to River Walk’s next generation of stewards. New kiosk panels by the Main Street entrance fully reflect River Walk’s past 25 years of trailmaking, cleanup and ecological activities. New interpretive stations in the Du Bois River Garden park now tell the story of W.E.B. Du Bois’s environmental advocacy and his special regard for the Housatonic River. The new signage was funded by a generous grant from Housatonic Heritage.
River Walk, which has been a model of community involvement, will take that commitment to a whole new level through its partnership with Greenagers while ensuring that the trail receives the care and stewardship that will sustain it for many years to come. With River Walk as their laboratory, the teens will learn landscaping and trail building skills in a direct and real-world way. They will gain experience in managing trail improvements, riverbank reclamation and educational outreach.
River Walk’s founding director Rachel Fletcher says, “Placing this treasured community resource in the hands of our local young people is what River Walk is all about. This is an empowering gift to give teens at this moment in our nation’s history.”
Greenagers director Will Conklin says, “As River Walk and Greenagers grow together, our young people learn about our cultural heritage and best practices in horticulture, water quality and trail development. At the same time, River Walk benefits from the Greenagers’ energy, creativity, and vision.”
For information about Greenagers, visit www.greenagers.org or call Will Conklin at 413-644-9090.
