HARDWICK – The select board’s recent acceptance of a $45,000 bid from the Vermont Huts Association (VHA) for the vacant lot at the intersection of Perry Hill Lane and Mill Street paves the way for further approvals and study of a project that would become part of a proposed Velomont Trail.
The Hardwick Hostel being planned for the lot at an important Intersection downtown would be “available to the public for year-round use and enjoyment,” according to a draft operations plan shared with the Hardwick Select Board by VHA in July.
The hostel would sleep about 32 guests on the second floor over a ground floor office and storefront that could become a collaboration with the Hardwick Downtown Partnership, or another business, said R.J. Thompson, VHA executive director. A third floor could add two efficiency long-term rental apartments.
A draft plan for the hostel shows the second floor with several private rooms, intended primarily for families, a bunk room and ADA compliant bathroom, said Thompson. There’s a reception desk and common area with a shared kitchen and office on the ground floor. An elevator serves all three floors.
The Hardwick Hostel is planned as a stop on the proposed 485 mile Velomont Trail from Massachusetts to the Canadian border. The new trail will use the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail to get from Morrisville to St. Johnsbury, then continue to East Burke on its way to Canada.
A vision plan for the trail says, “The Velomont invites people on bikes, skis and foot to one day explore 485 miles of trail which will connect 30-45 backcountry huts and downtown hostels and 27 communities, potentially conserving over 200,000 acres of crucial wildlife corridor. When complete, the Velomont will represent the largest hut- supported trail network in the United States.”
A Velomont Collective planning the trail is being led by the VHA, the Catamount Trail Association and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association. Trails and outdoor recreation bring tangible benefits to the communities they serve, notes the trail’s vision plan. It identifies environmental, community and economic benefits of coordinated trail development. Principles used to establish the trail involve consideration of the best route for the land, the communities and the user experience.
The VHA is a nonprofit with a mission to foster a deeper appreciation of our natural environment and strengthen Vermont’s communities by providing enriching and immersive outdoor experiences for all, notes its website.
The Hardwick Hostel development will need roughly 15 parking spaces, which VHA is working to secure through nearby property owners, notes the operations plan.
While the select board has accepted VHA’s bid, the sale will be contingent on the hostel proposal being approved by the Development Review Board (DRB) as a conditional use under the hotel/motel classification, said Thompson. VHA funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will require their approval too, he said.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
