What's Next?  

In 2026, Manchester Riverwalk Association opened it's bridge across the Batten Kill. The result of 10 years of planning and fundraising. It has been wildly successful and has put a spotlight on the river, which was a long-neglected asset in the middle of town. Now that we have brought people over the river, it's time to improve their access to the river's edge. 

What about the Steps that Are There? 

A number of years ago, steps were placed from the Town Green to a flat landing area above the river. From there, agile folks could scramble down the bank and get to the Riverwalk. Over time, those steps and that bank became increasingly eroded. 

After the bridge opened, the Town thought that encouraging use of that path to the river posed a safety hazard, and closed off the steps. There is still access to the Riverwalk at the other end, by the Friends of the Sun building further down routes 11/30.  

The Manchester Riverwalk committee seeks to replace those steps with a new ones that are more even and safer. This is the project we are turning our attention to. 

Our stone mason has provided a quote of about $40,000 to replace the steps that are there and to add a new set to replace the hillside scramble that comprised the lower half of the access. You can see an example of his work to the right. We love the rustic feel of these steps. In order to pay for this important improvement, we will seek out grants and we will fundraise.

A Very Attainable Improvement

While not a small number, $40,000 is much, much less than the one milli0n dollars needed to build the bridge. We did that and we believe that this project will appeal to people in an even more tangible way. You can see the river from the Town Green, all we need to do is get down to it safely to enjoy the remarkable peace and quiet of this escape in the heart of the town. 

We hope you will consider supporting this initiative and we furthermore hope you will come and experience the Manchester Riverwalk when you are in town.