$30K Grant Awarded To Improve Trail At Local Chatham Park

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham Township is home to one of eight trail projects recommended for funding by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners as part of the county's Trail Construction Grant Program.

The Hillside Walking Trail, which is located off of Hillside Avenue, will be receiving $30,120 as part of the grant program, officials said.

The grant program's goal is to provide recreational trail use opportunities that benefit communities and improve the quality of life for Morris County residents.

The nature trail is currently a 1/3-mile figure-eight loop beginning and ending on Hillside Avenue, just a few hundred yards up from River Road. The trail is considered an easy route, taking an average of 8 minutes to complete and is dog friendly.

During the County Commissioners' open work session in Morristown, Betty Cass-Schmidt, chair of the Trail Construction Grant Advisory Committee, presented the grant recommendations for 2022 after some consideration.

The presentation went into detail about the planned alterations to the hiking trail, including adding in three separate extension points from the existing .73-mile trail. The extension would be accessible for all regular pedestrians and seasoned hikers.

The County Commissioners will vote on whether to accept the grant recommendation at their Dec. 21, 2022 meeting.

Since its inception, the Commissioner-appointed advisory committee has recommended 47 grant awards totaling 28 miles, with 21 of the projects completed.

"The program continues to build momentum. Each year we see new municipalities who had not previously participated, apply to the program. There are also municipalities returning to the program who have had success in previous years. Nine municipalities have received more than one grant," Cass-Schmidt said.

If the proposed projects are approved by the County Commissioners next week, Morris County will have committed nearly $5 million to the establishment of 28.37 miles of trails in just seven years since the Trail Construction Grant program's inception in 2016.

"The trail network we have been developing throughout Morris County offers an easy and accessible respite to everyone looking to get outside, exercise or even just to clear their head – by walking, jogging and riding bikes through our bucolic towns," said Commissioner Stephen Shaw, the board liaison to Morris County’s Office of Planning and Preservation.