The Town of Lunenburg, like many rural Vermont towns, has several villages and hamlets nestled within its borders: the villages of Lunenburg and Gilman and the hamlets of West Lunenburg, South Lunenburg and Mill Village. Residents and visitors traveling through are treated to quintessential Vermont scenery with historic buildings, open spaces, sweeping vistas, cemeteries, bandstands, churches, historic housing, and more.
Over 70 residents from Lunenburg and Gilman participated in the Community Visit process in the fall of 2024. Throughout the process, VCRD heard residents express a desire to connect with each other and collaborate on efforts for the future of their community. They spoke of the assets of outdoor recreation and the importance of town gatherings, and the many dedicated community members. Through a series of three meetings, community members chose two priorities for action – Expand Outdoor Recreation, Trails & Tourism and Increase Community Events & Recreation – and created task force groups to move them forward.
“All three (community visit) meetings were so well attended, it was amazing. I think folks felt heard. Whatever they decided was going to have a follow-through.” said Gary Briggs, Town Clerk, and president of the Lunenburg-Gilman Community Trust.
Since the Visit, local task forces have been hard at work advancing their initiatives. The Communications Task Force has launched a quarterly newsletter to provide updates to community members. The Recreation,Tourism, Trails Task Force (RTT) has developed partnerships with state and regional groups, completed a town wide input survey, and partnered with resource providers to develop a GIS map of trails in the community. The group took a leadership role in meeting to gain clarity about the railroad, has done outreach to youth and business owners, completed site visits and grant applications, and has already received donations to help support their work. The town has recently received more than $1 million in grant funding for everything from recreation to resurfacing a town bridge.
“The Lunenburg and Gilman task forces have already made an enormous impact in their communities in just six months,” said Alyssa Johnson, VCRD Community Visit Program Director. “It’s inspiring to see the way they have taken the priorities identified by the community and really run with them.”
And, their hard work is getting recognition. “All of sudden, when town leaders attend various regional and state meetings and events and mention they are from Lunenburg, other attendees are quick to say ‘Lunenburg? We hear great things are happening there,’” Briggs said.
The two task forces are also partnering with the Lunenburg-Gilman Community Trust to host community events, starting with the Hello Summer celebration on June 28. The event will include free BBQ, ice cream, recreation activities for all ages, a tour of the former Gilman Middle School, and an opportunity for community members to share their vision for the former school and Fox Field.
“The celebration is a great opportunity to reintroduce the community to Fox Field and, most importantly, a chance for residents to share their vision for its future,” said Kate Baxter, chair of the RTT task force.
Tara Goreau’s iconic mural “Greetings from Lunenburg” which includes recognizable village landmarks will be painted by residents during the event, and have permanent residence on the side of the town’s recycling transfer station trailer. It will be a fitting tribute to a community working hard to build on the past and engage in a hopeful future.
The Town of Lunenburg is taking part in another VCRD program – the Village Trust Initiative – supporting the Lunenburg-Gilman Community Trust’s efforts to revitalize the former middle school.
Visit our website to learn more about the Community Visit program and read the Lunenburg-Gilman: One Community Working Together report and action plan.