Making New Friends And Memories
Nicolas and Oliver like to ride their bikes on the pump track at Atkins Field because they can make new friends that way. New friends are one of the best reasons to spend time at Atkins Field where our community gardeners, farmers market vendors, students, volunteers, and everyone else can gather to use the trails and learn about the history of the Woodbury Granite Company.
Our goal is that Atkins will be a launching pad to trails including the Granite Junction History Trail on the property itself; the Hardwick Trails; and in the future to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Our plans for the 15-acre Atkins Field property were developed after two years of surveying all ages and backgrounds of people in Hardwick and the surrounding towns to find out their wishes for the property. All of this data directed us to our current plan that honors the past and its working landscape while connecting folks to the present and future.
Goals for Phase 1 of development in spring of 2019 include an open air pavilion that can be used for outdoor workshops in imperfect weather, for the farmers market, potentially for the town's skating rink and more. The pavilion will have a wall with a history map and trail information. A parking lot will be created to help make the traffic flow on the field safer.
As Hardwick Elementary School students, Nicolas and Oliver are likely to find themselves at Atkins during the school day when teachers bring them on the three-minute walk to study outdoors on the trails or in the gardens. Hazen Union School students built garden beds and planted the Edible Forest you will find behind the 350-foot granite shed.
Our Phase II plans are to renovate the big shed and create some winterized space with community partners. If you would like to find out more, the Atkins Field Bulletin is a free publication 6 times a year. Sign up by contacting Bethany M. Dunbar, Community Programs Manager at bethany@hardwickagriculture.
Our community is very close to our goal of donations needed to complete Phase 1 in the spring. Click here to learn more about the Atkins Grassroots Campaign, and to donate. Thank you for your interest.