The Still River Greenway in Brookfield will be extended in the area of Town Hall. The Board of Selectmen recently chose one of three presented designs for the 1,500 foot expansion. The Selectmen are backing the option that extends the path by the upper Ptak field goalpost and along the road.
Community Development Director Greg Dembowski says the design is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and meets the state’s requirements. He notes that the Department of Transportation has created a bidding program where bidders are pre-qualified. He met with representatives of one firm on the list. If Brookfield officials don't like the final number, they can go out to bid on their own.
A complete design package is needed for the state to approve the project. A Department of Energy and Environmental Protection review is also needed.
The town was awarded a $207,000 grant, but that will only cover about half of the project. The next step is to figure out where the $183,000 balance will come from. The balance could be lower because money to replace the wooden stairs with concrete ones is already in the budget as a capital item. Existing Town Hall parking could be used for access from the Senior Center. A proposed fence is a safety measure along the busy roadway.
The state grant funding was not initially awarded to Brookfield when the town applied years ago, but another recipient backed out and Brookfield was next on the list. The grant does not expire so there's no deadline to find the balance.
