Multi-Group Recreation Meeting Minutes, 01.21.2024

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Multi-Group Recreation Meeting – 1/21/24

Groups represented:
Recreation Commission
Planning Commission
Recreation Club
Broad Brook Community Center (BBCC)
Conservation Commission
Guilford Central School
Unaffiliated community members (4)

Results of the Recreation Survey were reviewed

  • Greater than 50% interest by the community for:
    • Open Studio tour
    • Garden tour
    • Music concerts
    • Multi-use non-motorized trails
    • Opportunities to learn new skills
    • Arts groups
    • XC Ski or snowshoe trails
    • Community potlucks
    • Fiber arts craft groups
    • Movie showing
    • Indoor exercise groups / classes
    • Mentorship with local tradespeople
    • Dance (contra, swing, ballroom, etc)
    • Community woodworking shop
    • Community meals for purchase
  • Survey results highlighted that many current resources in the community are not well-known, so there is a place to enhance promotion

Promoting events town-wide: 

  • Guilfordvt.gov has new tab for “Guilford Recreation” – can consolidate all recreation events there.
    • Anyone can make a submission on the calendar itself, edits are done by town manager
    • Town members can subscribe to the calendar. We could also turn it into a once-weekly email. 
    • “Guilford Recreation” will also be a resource map, containing links to all recreation in the area
  • Cross post events to Guilford FB pages and Front Porch Forum, Guilford Gazette as these are the most referenced places for activities per the Recreation Survey
  • Possibly add QR code to share for easy access link to website. 
  • Planning Commission might send postcards to every household in town. 
  • Could also create a quarterly recreation newsletter, like the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks

TO DO: 

  • Everyone to post current and future events to “Guilford Recreation” calendar. After more events have been added (possibly in February), will promote the webpage to the community through FPF, FB, the Gazette, in email updates from library, BBCC, church, school, etc. 
  • All local recreation groups to help populate the Resource Map: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nisr9NvMV8qA5gYvJZDq8_faJ9QE3evVdtJ6Cok9HIE/edit?usp=sharing 
  • Potentially put hard copies of event calendar around town – GCS, library…
  • Add slides from meeting to the Recreation Commission page 
  • Include info on “Guilford Recreation” about what recreation options are available (including gear rentals) and who to contact for various recreation questions/reservations
  • Potential to add volunteer database/volunteer signup to webpage

Trails:

  • Conservation Commission has trails pamphlet and roads pamphlet publicly available. 
  • Conservation Commission also has information available on best practices for trail building
  • There are state grants available for many types of recreation, and also specifically for trails— is anyone in Guilford tracking and applying for these grants?
  • Large interest in forming a trails committee to work on new/longer trails and clear up existing trails. This committee could be housed under Guilford Planning Commission – meeting Wed 1/24. 
  • Idea of adding info from snowmobiling club (Pitstoppers) and VAST trails. 
  • Question about non-public/unpublished trails. 
  • Guilford school has roughed-in trail (1/2 mile) on their property that could be expanded/turned into a town trail. 
  • Can we have town ski trails? Idea to groom a loop in the fairgrounds – previously used for Recreation Commission Winterfest
  • There may be resources, guidelines, and volunteers through Windham Regional Council, Vermont Youth Conservation Corp

Other Recreation:

  • Guilford Recreation Club is in charge of recreation facilities at the fairgrounds – ball courts, camping cabin. No reservations needed to use ball courts. 
  • Guilford Fair Association owns the rest of fairgrounds; David Franklin is the contact for reserving fairground space. 
  • Question of gravel bike use on town roads – how to make the most of bike usage and possibly bike trails.

New ideas for recreation:

  • Using the Guilford Central school gymnasium: Currently can happen outside of school hours while custodian is there (until 5:30).
  • Fly fishing lessons/derby days
  • Stocking a town pond for fishing
  • Ice fishing lessons/days
  • Birding walks (with Conservation Commission)
  • VT Craft Council open studio – expand to Guilford. Get included in statewide fall event for 2024.
  • Neighborhood garden tour (with Neighborhood Roots)
  • Naturalist walks with Conservation Commission
  • Info on using native plants and potential bulk orders for native plants 
  • Community gardens 
  • Kids bike group at fairgrounds (there might be a liability concern, will check with David Franklin)
  • Grange 150th anniversary/4th of July celebration

TO DO: 

  • Recreation Commission might be able to update the Conservation Commission pamphlets
  • Follow up with Planning Commission on forming of Trails Committee. Meghan Arthur will share list of folks who expressed interest in being on a Trails workgroup. 
  • Recreation Commission to discuss hosting Winterfest this year
  • Sarah Rosow will ask for further clarification, as use of the gym hasn’t always been limited to custodial hours in the past.
  • Recreation Commission to work with BBCC on Grange anniversary celebration, including possible 5k, etc

The future:

  • Folks generally thought it would be helpful to meet annually to bring all the recreation groups in Guilford together. The Recreation Commission will organize this. 

Attachments:

Recreation Resource Map.docx
Recreation Multi-Group Meeting pdf