The people of Montpelier really want to enjoy the rivers, especially young people. They swim in them, explore them, boat in them, play in them. A group of friends at Montpelier High School even paddles to school sometimes, parking their kayaks in the bike locks at the school. Much of the rivers however are extremely inaccessible, even unsafe or impossible to get to. If this could change, it could revolutionize the enjoyment of rivers in Montpelier. To get a sense of peoples thoughts on the rivers today and in the future, I sat down with a few Montpelier residents to gain some insights into their thoughts on the rivers.
Kayakers enjoying a paddle down the Winooksi River in Montpelier.
Christine: A longtime citizen of Montpelier
Q. How do you use/why do you appreciate the rivers in Montpelier?
A. “I use them for swimming, I appreciate their ecological function, I’ve paddled in them”
Q. What changes would you like to see related to the rivers in Montpelier?
A.“Well I think there is not much room to change, as the rivers are so channelized and built up, you’d have to tear down the whole town to make it right. Given that, I think wherever possible we should make an effort to give it [the river] greater natural buffers. Another thing I’d like to see is more public access. You see the few public access points there are, are very popular, like North Branch [Nature Center] and Dog River. I think the rivers should be appreciated and cherished.”
Q. What is your opinion on the rivers as they are at the moment?
A. “We’re victims of the old mindset on rivers. Rivers struggle to serve their ecological functions. I appreciate efforts to improve the rivers”
Jay: A student at Montpelier high school, a runner, cyclist, and amateur naturalist
Q. How do you use the rivers in Montpelier?
A. “I use the rivers to canoe, kayak, watch wildlife, swim, things like that.”
Q. What changes would you like to see related to the rivers in Montpelier?
A. “I’d like there to be more access points that are nice and widely used, cleaner rivers would also be good, fewer invasives [species] especially knotweed along the banks.”
Q. Do you think the rivers are an important part of the town? Why?
A. “I think rivers are an important part of the town because they give a lot of opportunities for recreation, and also they shape how people view the town.”
Dave: Lifelong Montpelier resident
Q. How do you use the rivers in Montpelier?
A. I love the rivers of Montpelier. I swim in them, I’ve paddled them a few times, I just think they’re a really valuable part of our town with a lot of potential.
Q. What changes would you like to see related to the rivers in Montpelier?
A. I’d like to see people care for them more. I’d like to see them properly appreciated as the wonderful part of our town that they are. This would include improving the banks to make them more natural and accessible, as well as prioritizing places like NBNC [North Branch Nature Center] and the Dog River Fields area, both of which receive a whole lot of use from Montpelier residents.
Q. Do you think the rivers are an important part of the town? Why?
A. I think the rivers are a very important part of our town. They are a huge physical part of our town, whether you like it or not, so we might as well protect and fix them.
Sam Brondyke is a senior at Montpelier High School. As a sophomore, he was a student in Face the River, a hands-on class kickstarted by Vermont River Conservancy in which students get their boots muddy studying the abiotic, biotic, and cultural aspects of rivers. Sam spent fall 2024 doing a Community Based Learning internship with Vermont River Conservancy – investigating dams with an expert engineer, getting out on-the-ground with our Stewardship Manager, and writing a series of blogs to share reflections on how his hometown Montpelier community relates to local rivers.
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