Hop River Trail System Part Of State Awards Announced Monday

MANCHESTER, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced that approximately $9 million in state grants are being released through the Connecticut Recreational Trails Program to plan, build, expand, and improve a total of 50 multi-use trails across Connecticut. Among the awards are Manchester's Hop River trail system.

The program is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Funding for this grant round was allocated by the State Bond Commission in July 2022. Governor Lamont serves as chairman of the commission.

In Manchester, a total of $44,793 is being allotted for signage and trail markings and $440,000 is being awarded for the project to connect the Hop River Trail to the Cheney Trail.

"I am thrilled to announce funding for these 50 projects, which will improve and expand recreational trail opportunities around Connecticut," Lamont said. "The incredible response to this grant round shows the high demand for outdoor recreation in our state. Our residents and visitors continue to explore state parks, forests, and municipal open spaces and land trust preserves at record levels."

The DEEP has seen demand for outdoor recreation increase dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Lamont said. Annual visits to locations in the Connecticut State Parks and Forests system reached an estimated 17 million in 2022 – a 75 percent increase from pre-pandemic visitation levels of between 9 and 10 million in 2019, Lamont said.

Additionally, the economic value of hiking, climbing, and tent camping increased by 50 percent from 2019 to 2021, Lamont said. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the value of outdoor recreation in 2021 contributed nearly $4 billion to the state and supported more than 40,000 jobs.