July 20, 2010
BOSTON — State Representative Jen Benson (D-Lunenburg) announced today that the Harvard Snowmobile Club received a $14,766 grant for a new groomer vehicle. This is part of the $1.17 million in grants the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is awarding to local communities and nonprofit organizations to fund 41 trails projects across the Commonwealth under its Recreational Trails Grants Program. The DCR program is part of the national Recreational Trails Program funded by the Federal Highway Administration.
"This grant will help the Harvard Snowmobile Club improve and expand their trail system, increasing access to outdoor recreation for the local community," said Benson.
Recreational Trails Grants are awarded for the construction and stewardship of hiking trails, bikeways, snowmobile trails, and an array of other trails throughout the state. This can include improvements to long-distance trails and rail trail development, ATV trail maintenance, and creation or maintenance of municipal trails. Each recipient matches its grant with at least an additional 20 percent in funding or in-kind services.
Since 1993, DCR has awarded more than $5 million in Recreational Trails Grants in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board. The federal funds are distributed to individual states to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail uses.
