Project Timeline

The CORA Committee has successfully applied for several state grants:

1) We were accepted into the Better Places program through the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development. Better Places is a community matching grant program empowering Vermonters to create inclusive and vibrant public places. We reached our crowdfunding goal of $20,000 with the support of our community which unlocked the $40,000 matching grant. Thank you!

2) The Town of Cornwall Select Board approved the allocation of some of the town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for CORA. ARPA funds were provided to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

3) We received a Community Grant from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC). This grant supports communities in growing their local economies through leveraging outdoor recreation.

4) We received a Community Tree Planting Grant from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC). This grant will allow us to plant 36 trees on the CORA site to create a welcoming, park-like environment.

We need to continue fundraising so we can build all of the CORA components and maintain the recreation area once built.

We have encountered unexpected costs due to the stormwater planning, permitting, and required mitigation measures. We need your help in filling the gap.

Please DONATE!

Construction of CORA began this summer and fall!

We celebrated the milestone with a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025.

Phase I (summer & fall of 2025) — excavation of the site, building and paving the parking lot, pulling conduit, installing lampposts for the parking lot and the courts, building and setting the concrete slab for the pavilion, building the ADA-compliant walking trail, and construction and fencing of the tennis and pickleball courts. Sixteen trees were planted on the site and plans for the pollinator garden continued.

Phase II (spring & summer 2026) — a community raising of the timber-framed pavilion, building of the welcome kiosk and storage shed, final coatings and lines on the tennis and pickleball courts, bocce ball court and horseshoe/cornhole pitch construction, and installing two exercise stations. The FLORA for CORA group will plant the remaining 20 trees and start the planting of the pollinator garden.

Phase III — continued work on the pollinator garden, signage, and ongoing maintenance.

The goal is to create an intergenerational outdoor recreational area that can be enjoyed by all.

CORA will increase access to physical activity and promote social connectedness for our community.

The recreational area will provide the Town of Cornwall with a community gathering space that does not currently exist.

CORA will improve the livability, economic vitality, and recreation opportunities in Cornwall and the greater Addison County area.