Manchester Riverwalk held its annual meeting March 15th at the Manchester Community Library. Board president, Margaret Donovan reviewed the accomplishments of the non-profit in 2024, most notably the ground breaking of the new pedestrian bridge at Factory Point Town Green. She thanked the community, the town, the VOREC grantors, board members and volunteers. In addition, she praised Bill and Stephen Drunsic for all of their support and countless hours of hard work in getting the bridge to this point.

Upcoming for Riverwalk

She also addressed the question of "what's next?" for the organization. Donovan said that now that the bridge is well underway, "we will turn to rebuilding the seriously deteriorated steps from the Town Green to the river's edge and the Riverwalk." To facilitate that, she said, the group has applied for a grant to get the project underway.

Construction Updates

Stephen Drunsic, board vice-president shared, via Zoom, the latest updates on the construction schedule. Currently, the bridge delivery to the Town Green is set for early June. A  ribbon cutting will take place in July. In addition to bridge updates, the treasury report was reviewed, and an election was held with board members Kim Bina, Eileen Braheney, Joan Burns, Stephen Drunsic and Dick Smith re-elected for three year terms.

Guest Speaker Michael Cooperman

Fish and Fisheries Ecologist, Michael Cooperman, then addressed the gathering. Cooperman, a research scientist, holds a doctorate degree in fisheries science and a masters degree in aquatic sciences. He is an affiliated faculty member with the University of Montana Flathead Lake Bio Station and is the founder of PlusFish Philanthropy, a company dedicated to research and engagement to protect aquatic biodiversity in the tropics. He resides in Manchester, Vt and also serves on the board of Riverwalk. Michael shared how he has done a lot of research on trout rivers over the years. He is also a passionate fly-fisherman. “My general take on the West Branch of the Battenkill and the Battenkill, when I’m asked about development and fish and habitats, is that rivers need friends. I believe in making the rivers more accessible.”

Michael spoke of the restoration work Riverwalk volunteers have been doing for years, cleaning up garbage, removing invasive plant species and replacing them with native species. “These are net benefits. A classic win-win, good for both the environment and the human community.” Per Michael, improved access to rivers does not necessarily mean a negative ecological consequence, as projects like Riverwalk have many benefits. “When a river has friends, people care about it, it is out there in the public eye vs. just being a dump where people throw old shopping carts. When something isn’t enjoyed, then it’s forgotten.” That, he continued, is the real ancillary benefit to Riverwalk, bringing life and vibrancy back to what was a forgotten item which then becomes a resource. That, he believes, is the core of what is being accomplished. “As far as river health, every nice, good quality trout stream in the world, particularly in North America, has a fisherman’s path along it. Access doesn’t mean the fish goes away.”