West Lebanon is Getting a Facelift, and It's Going to be Green
Mar 28, 2022 11:30AM ● By Tracey HullPhoto from New England Riverworks
West Lebanon is getting a facelift, and it is going to be green. Unfortunately, West Lebanon has been seen as a “drive-through” route to other things over the past few decades, but not anymore. The West Lebanon Greenway, with a goal of “connecting West Lebanon, not its waterfront and region,” now has a fresh new vision for West Lebanon. Plans are well underway, including creating a walkable downtown that is scenic and updated with new streetscapes, landscaping, improved sidewalks, sitting areas, and overall accessibility.
Changes and improvements include River Park West Lebanon, West Lebanon Greenway, expansion of the local trails, improving public transportation with Advance Transit, utilizing hydropower from the Wilder Dam, and updating street- and landscapes in the downtown area.
River Park West Lebanon, which is a 1-million square-foot and 38-acre green campus on the riverfront, will be a beautiful stop along the expanding local trail network powered completely by hydropower from the Wilder Dam. It offers space for offices, research, life science, high-technology manufacturing, retail, and residents. The River Park waterfront lot was donated to Friends of River Park to help reconnect the community to the natural beauty of our local river, improve non-car transportation, and help to rejuvenate downtown West Lebanon.
The West Lebanon Greenway is a 3-mile pathway that will grow and connect current and future trails to the Mascoma River Greenway and downtown West Lebanon. It will use the Westboro Rail Yard lot to link our local communities, improve community access, provide recreational opportunities, and enable car-alternative transportation along Route 10.
New improvements and expansion of the local Rail-Trail Network are thanks to recent grant funding from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, who awarded $45,000 total to Friends of River Park, the New Hampshire Rail-Trails Coalition, and Friends of the Northern Rail Trail.
For more information on A Green Vision for West Lebanon, visit www.westleb.org/news/a-green-vision-for-west-lebanon