Wilton has received a $17,000 Community Challenge Grant from AARP New Hampshire for the next step in developing a riverwalk in the downtown – building an accessible gazebo for wildlife observation.
AARP had its largest group of grantees this year, awarding a total of $3.6 million to a total of 310 organizations, including Wilton.
“AARP New Hampshire is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents’ quality of life through tangible changes,” said AARP New Hampshire State Director Christina FitzPatrick. “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make immediate improvements in their communities to jumpstart long-term change, especially for Granite Staters 50 and over.”
AARP has previously provided support for the town’s riverwalk project, which began in 2017 when the town opened a walkway along the Stony Brook River. In 2020, the town completed a renovation of Monument Park, which is adjacent to the river. AARP grants were used in 2021 to installed a solar-lit, accessible walkway along the river’s north bank, with signs, plantings, sculptures and access to fishing spots.
“It’s exciting to see Wilton is continuing to improve this public space, and keeping it accessible and a place where people of all ages can gather,” FitzPatrick said.
The grant program is targeted at projects that can make a difference in the lives of seniors in a short amount of time, FitzPatrick explained.
“The Community Challenge Grant is about quick action projects that can make a big difference in a short amount of time,” FitzPatrick said. “One focus is creating vibrant public places.”
FitzPatrick said one of the appeals of the Wilton gazebo project is that it creates a gathering place.
“One benefit is promoting social interaction and community, which is an important piece of the puzzle,” FitzPatrick said. “This kind of project will help people come together, and become engaged with each other and with their community.”
Jennifer Beck, who chairs the town’s economic development team, as well as being a member of the Conservation Commission, said the gazebo will accomplish multiple objectives, but will mainly serve as a home base for a senior citizen science program, where residents can learn about how to catalog plant, insect and animal species and log them.
Beck said the town is updating its natural resources inventory, which includes data collected by citizens about what species are present in Wilton, using an app called iNaturalist. Those interested in learning how to use the application can attend a session on July 13 at 7 p.m. at the Wilton Community Center, located within the Congregational Church.
“We’d like to capitalize on people’s natural inclination to observe wildlife,” Beck said. “Any information collected through this program will end up going into the town’s inventory.”
The gazebo will have cushioned benches and be built low to the ground with ramp access, to be accessible to mobility aids. There will be program materials for wildlife observation volunteers, and access to paper records for those who don’t want to use the phone application to record their species spotting.
The Select Board is expected to review the final plans for the gazebo during its meeting on July 12, and it is expected to be completed by the end of September.
Beck said the gazebo will only be the beginning of the development of that particular spot on the riverwalk. The town’s long-term plans for the space also call for a concert pavilion in the same area with a separate, open-air, roofed structure that can serve as a stage. The town is also on the Department of Transportation’s 10-year plan to build a pedestrian bridge connecting the area to the other side of the river.
“Building on the previous support that AARP has provided the Town of Wilton to expand our downtown Riverwalk, this new grant will enable us to launch an innovative senior citizen science program and erect a shaded, handicap-accessible gazebo situated on the bank of Stony Brook,” said Select Board Chair Matthew Fish. “We are very grateful that AARP has chosen to support us again, and help us continue to implement our vision of a vibrant downtown for residents of all ages centered on our two protected rivers.”
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.