Collaborative Community Service Projects Help Maintain Hockanum River Trail
East Hartford, CT—The East Hartford Parks and Recreation Department was proud to have recently collaborated with organizations and members of the community on three successful trail projects to help clear the East Hartford Hockanum River Trail of debris by picking up trash, cutting back overgrowth and removing graffiti. These projects have been particularly special because they were driven solely by volunteers who focused on making the trail a great recreation escape in the middle of the Connecticut Valley.
The East Hartford Hockanum River Trail stretches over 4.5 miles through East Hartford. The trail is divided into seven sections throughout the town, starting at Labor Park (Chipper Drive Trail) and ending at the Connecticut River/Great River Trail (Meadow Hill Trail). The trails are a network of stone dust trails, boardwalks, and river access, multiple parking areas and some areas where sections are connected by local streets. The trail through East Hartford is the final section of a four-town trail network that connects Ellington, Vernon, Manchester, and East Hartford.
On Sunday, June 2nd, Connecticut held its annual Trails Day, and East Hartford participated with a trail maintenance event at Martin Park. That day, over 30 East Hartford residents, including Scout Pack 61, cleaned the Hockanum River Trail from Hillside Drive to Ecology Drive. An REI Co-Op representative from the West Hartford store was also on site with coupons, free t-shirts and granola bars.
On Tuesday, July 9th, a group of 25 employees from Pratt and Whitney cleaned up the Elm Street Parking Area and the trail from Elm Street to Ecology Drive. This was a team effort focused on giving back to the community.
Most recently, on Tuesday, July 23rd, a group of approximately 20 East Hartford High School students worked on a section of trail from Labor Park to the Chipper Drive Entrance. These students were participants in a program called EHHS Summer Leadership Institute Connections Plus.
Over the last twenty years, the Hockanum River Watershed Association has demostrated one of the most amazing conversation efforts in Hartford County. Volunteers contributed to making the use of trails and waterways an enjoyable experience for many in this region and we were proud to particupate in these three community service projects.