The Bike & Pedestrian Committee voted to endorse a schematic “north–south” pedestrian Greenway concept — presented as Gabriel’s Trail and a town Greenway master plan — and authorized committee members to seek conservation and municipal support and pursue planning grants to develop a formal trail master plan.

Presenters Joseph (resident/organizer) and Jeff (planning volunteer) outlined a route that they said could link open spaces from the town’s northern border near Beers Road and Hoytens Hill down to South Pine Creek Beach, using a combination of existing town-owned trails, conservation land and short roadway connections where easements are not yet secured. “There’s a chance to highlight that local history as well,” Joseph told the committee, describing mapped alignments and the feasibility coding used to differentiate easy, moderate and challenging sections.

Organizers asked the committee to endorse moving the plan forward to conservation, forestry and the first selectman’s office and to support a planning grant application. Committee members described the plan as a schematic that could be rapidly marked on existing town parcels to engage the public while a planning grant funds right-of-way studies, environmental reviews and bridge design where needed.

The committee agreed to endorse the plan and asked presenters to coordinate next steps with the Conservation Commission, forestry and the town grants manager. Presenters said tactical clearing and volunteer-led trail marking on town parcels could begin quickly; the group discussed likely grant sources including Connecticut Recreational Trails Program and other state greenway funds.

No construction funding was approved at the meeting; the endorsement is a committee-level statement to support further planning and interagency outreach.