GREENSBORO BEND — Met with smiles and sunshine, the grand opening of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail’s (LVRT) Bend Trailhead Park proved to be worth the wait.
Described as a collaborative project, the new trailhead is host to some notable features, including a new mural by Vermont artist Tara Goreau.
Goreau’s work is familiar to those in the area, with one mural in the Galaxy Bookshop and another across from the Buffalo Mountain Co-op.
Jane Johns, treasurer of The Bend Revitalization Initiative (BRI) had the inspiration to incorporate a mural and has heavily contributed to the project since the beginning. Her fellow BRI officer, Nancy Hill, said “It is absolutely amazing. Jane was the real worker, she’s local to Greensboro Bend and so valuable.”
Current and former residents of Greensboro Bend recognized at the grand opening of The Bend Trailhead included (from left) Bend Revitalization Initiative (BRI) Treasurer Jane Johns; Gail Renaud; BRI vice-president, Nancy HIll and Bette and Philip Rochette. Hill and Rochette grew up in The Bend. Johns, Renaud and Betty Rochette are sisters who grew up on Tousant Hill Road, just over the Stannard town line.
According to Johns, she was curious after seeing an article about artwork on the trail, and began looking into ways she could incorporate some in The Bend. She immediately thought of Goreau’s previous works in Hardwick, “I had seen some of the ones Tara had done, and thought oh boy, if we could get her to do it.”
Johns remarked that Goreau places emphasis on the history of the area in her murals, something she felt was important to the project. “We wanted the history of the railroad, and The Bend, coming from rail to trail.”
Bend Revitalization Initiative President Dan Predpall unveils a mural by Vermont artist Tara Goreau at The Bend Trailhead grand opening, Saturday, Sept. 14.
The mural celebrates the various forms of transportation that lent themselves to the town’s unique development. From pre-industrial bark canoes that populated Vermont’s waterways when the Abenaki were prevalent, to the many family bike outings to come, the mural transitions from past to present along The Bend; a railway turning into a bike path.
A number of local features are hidden in the mural, such as an upside down ice cream cone paying homage to Craig Smith’s original method of fooling children while serving them at his store: flipping a freshly packed cone upside down just as he handed it to a child, and sometimes even an unsuspecting adult.
The Greensboro Bend Trailhead on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail at the grand opening, Saturday, Sept. 14, shows a bicycle rack to the left, bicycle repair station to the right and a kiosk where a map will be displayed. In the background to the left is a fence separating the rail trail from the Greensboro Bend Depot, now a residence.
Dan Predpall, president of the BRI, explained to the gathering, “We talked to the Vermont Arts Council, and they had a grant program. We put in an application for a mural, and won that grant from the Vermont Arts Council.”
Predpall went on to explain that Goreau specializes in collaborative art. In July, a number of Greensboro residents gathered to paint the background and outlines of the mural, with Goreau completing the finishing touches and a protective sealant to ensure the images longevity.
“Tara did an incredible job with it, I think it will be a landmark here,” Predpal said.
Goreau has created collaborative art murals for more than ten years. Her work can also be seen at City Market in Burlington, Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury and Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro.
In 2023, Greensboro participated in an Agency of Transportation Northeast Kingdom Planning Grant, with which a design of The Bend Trailhead was created.
According to Predpall, funding and construction of The Bend Trailhead Park is a collaboration between the BRI and the Town of Greensboro. The town put up about 50% of the cost, with BRI covering the other half with help from private investors and other philanthropic organizations.
Mural artist Tara Goreau (center) was assisted by Justin Foster (left) and Phil Pike III (right) in installing the four-panel, 4-foot by 32-foot community mural, September 11, at The Bend Trailhead Park.
Predpall noted the trailhead is not yet finished, “It’s almost complete. We’re missing a map on the kiosk. We ordered that map in September of 2023.” At that, Predpal was met with laughs from the audience.
Predpall thanked Peter Romans, former chair of the Greensboro Select Board for his contributions. Predpall says, “He put in a lot of sweat equity.”
Thanking the landscapers involved with the project, Steward Lapoint and Lisa Kheler, Predpall said, “They were tremendously valuable.”
In addition to the mural, the trailhead boasts a parking area, a secure bike lock station and new seating. A picnic table and benches were made by local craftsman Justin Foster.
Since the railroad discontinued service to The Bend in the 1950s, investment in The Bend has lagged. The BRI was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2021 to bring economic, social, and cultural development to Greensboro Bend.
To join the initiative, email [email protected]mailto:[email protected]
Raymobda is a VTSU - Castleton English Major interning with The Hardwick Gazette.
