Newtown's Bike and Trails Committee has been awarded a National Parks Service grant for services in-kind.  Parks staff with experience in trail planning, design, and implementation are coming to work with the committee to help move trail projects in Newtown forward. 

The grant focuses on Al's Trail restoration and development and will also include working on developing a broader trail vision for the town, including developing a new network of trails, and a possible greenway.  An overarching plan would restore the entire 10.7 miles of Al’s Trail and would include eventual use of this trail as the main artery of a larger trail network in Newtown.  There are schools, residential developments, parks, open spaces, a community center, and a village center along the trail that could be connected to the trail, giving residents better access to open spaces and recreational activities. 

The committee wants to look into the feasibility of turning the southern section of Al's Trail between Sandy Hook Village and Fairfield Hills into a multi-use, recreational greenway that would have greater use and accessibility than the current footpath. 

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's definition of "Greenway" means a corridor of open space that (1) may protect natural resources, preserve scenic landscapes and historical resources or offer opportunities for recreation or nonmotorized transportation, (2) may connect existing protected areas and provide access to the outdoors, (3) may be located along a defining natural feature, such as a waterway, along a man-made corridor, including an unused right-of-way, traditional trail routes or historic barge canals or (4) may be a greenspace along a highway or around a village.