Campaign Launched to Triple Size of Mono Pond State Park
Willimantic, CT (02/19/2020) — The Trust for Public Land and the Town of Columbia are thrilled to announce the next step in a community sustainability project that will triple the size of Mono Pond State Park, unlock an expansive trail network and bridge the connection between Mono Pond and the Air Line State Park Trail.
The Trust for Public Land is seeking broad support from the community and asking residents, local businesses and other organizations to help make the project a reality. To learn more about the project and donate, visit https://ioby.org/project/save-columbias-wells-woods.
The project is supported by the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund, an innovative funding resource that will provide a dollar-for-dollar match on donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University meant to assist communities in becoming more resilient and sustainable.
"We're thrilled to be working alongside the community to make this bold vision a reality," said Walker Holmes, Connecticut state director for the Trust for Public Land. "It's an incredible opportunity to connect people to the outdoors. The eastern Connecticut community will now have access to a world-class network of trails providing stellar outdoor experiences."
About Sustainable CT and Community Match Fund
Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank. The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund is an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to all donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. The program is helping to bring projects across the state to life by providing fast, accessible funding as well as fundraising coaching and support to residents and organizations with great ideas to make their communities more sustainable.
Anyone in a Sustainable CT-registered municipality (more than 50 percent of the state) is eligible to receive this funding, meaning that schools, nonprofits, community groups and individual residents can all propose projects and access the matching funds. To start a Community Match Fund project, visit ioby.org/sustainablect or contact Sustainable CT's Abe Hilding-Salorio at hildingsalorioa@easternct.edu or 860-465-0256.
"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."
Sustainable CT, an initiative by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, provides a roadmap of sustainability best practices for towns, technical assistance, funding and recognition through certification. Forty-seven towns and cities across Connecticut have earned the prestigious Sustainable CT certification, demonstrating accomplishments in nine impact categories including inclusive and equitable communities, cleaner transportation, vibrant arts and culture, natural resource stewardship and affordable housing. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving 5,000 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 162 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 34 other states and 19 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 30 public universities in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2019 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.