Upcoming Events
Sign up to help with MAPLE plan development, workshop planning, and neighborhood organizing
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Sign up to help with MAPLE plan development, workshop planning, and neighborhood organizing 〰️
Montpelier’s Bridges
and the
Winooski Watershed
Thursdays, August 29-September 26, 5:30-6:30 pm
Join us for a series of walking tours to learn about the history of Montpelier’s built environment and its relationship to the Winooski River. Each tour will last approximately 45 minutes and will cover no more than one mile in distance.
All tours meet at Guertin Park (the grass lot on Main Street between Shaw’s and The Drawing Board.)
Tours are presented by Montpelier Alive in collaboration with Montpelier’s Commission for Recovery and Resilience, the Montpelier and Vermont Historical Societies, Friends of the Winooski River and Vermont River Conservancy.
August 29
Crossings: The History of Montpelier’s Bridges
Paul Carnahan, local historian, Bob McCollough, author of Crossings: A History of Vermont Bridges, and Vivian Ladd Tomasi, Coordinator, Montpelier Alive’s Bridge Illumination Project
Located at the confluence of four rivers, Montpelier is, by necessity, a city of bridges. Discover the history and impact of downtown bridges on the Winooski and North Branch rivers. What role do they play during high water events? How have the bridges supported economic development and industry? Finally, learn about Montpelier Alive’s artful efforts to light Montpelier’s bridges this winter.
September 5
The Bones of our Watershed
Ned Swanberg, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience, and George Springston, Geologist, Norwich University
How did the Winooski Watershed form? How has it changed with glaciation, since the arrival of people 13,000 years ago, and colonization? We’ll walk along the Siboinebi Path to bridge time and consider the geology of the waterways of the Winooski.
September 12
Face the River:
Reimagining Montpelier's Riverfront
Kassia Randzio, Vermont River Conservancy, Stephanie Hurley, UVM Associate Professor of Ecological Landscape Design, and Richard Amore, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, along with area students
Montpelier's riverfront is largely the legacy of 19th century industry and 20th century development concepts. As we look to the future, how might we create a more resilient, vibrant, community-centered riverfront for the 21st century and beyond? Hear from students and community members who have been thinking about ways to reimagine our riverfront, and share your own ideas for a revitalized, resilient riverfront.
September 19
Dam!
Kassia Randzio, Co-Director, Vermont River Conservancy, and Roy Schiff, Principal Water Resources Engineer & Scientist, SLR International Corporation
What's the history of Montpelier's dams? Do the dams help prevent floods, or make floods worse? What do dams mean for fish and turtles? What would our rivers look like if the dams were taken out? How would dam removal even happen, anyway? Explore these questions and more with hydrologists and engineers as we visit two downtown dams, learn about how dams impact our community, and hear about steps being taken to remove dams to help keep our community safer during high water.
September 26
Can I Swim Here?
Michele Braun, Executive Director, Friends of the Winooski River
Is the Winooski River healthy? Can we swim in it? Is it okay to catch and eat the fish? There are many different ways to look at the health of rivers, and all of them are complicated by the way we have built the City around the rivers, constantly altering their course across (and under!) the landscape. We’ll touch on Montpelier’s place in the Winooski watershed, what happens when it rains in the city, what homeowners can do to help, and what it all means for our relationship with and enjoyment of our local river resources.
Annual Friends of the Winooski
River Clean-up
Saturday September 7
Please come prepared to get dirty! Wear appropriate clothing, including shoes that can be worn in the river; bring a snack and water, gloves are recommended, and protection from sun or rain. Note that the river access spots and river beds can be steep, extremely slippery, rocky, and uneven.
The event takes place the first Saturday after Labor Day, each year. Meet at Montpelier City Hall, 39 Main St., Montpelier, at 8:30 am.
Past Events
Second Public Forum
WHEN: Thur May 23 @ 6:30 - 8:30
WHERE: Montpelier Senior Activity Center
First Public Forum
WHEN: Thur FEB 15 @ 6:30 - 8:30
WHERE: Montpelier High School Auditorium
Watch Replay
Rally on Restoring Montpelier Post Office
What: Postal Rally with the Vermont Congressional Delegation
When: 12:30 p.m. ET, Monday, January 8, 2024
Where: 87 State Street, Montpelier, in front of the old post office
Community rallies to demand Montpelier post office be restored (wcax.com)
Montpelier residents and VT congressional delegation rally for post office (mynbc5.com)
Hundreds rally in Montpelier as city still lacks post office | ABC22 & FOX44 (mychamplainvalley.com)
Vermont’s congressional delegation rallies for a new post office in downtown Montpelier - VTDigger
Hundreds rally to restore Montpelier post office months after losing it to floods | Vermont Public
Montpelier demands post office | Local News | timesargus.com
