Donation from Community National Bank will go towards trail maintenance, community access, and more
Trails, community gardens, and other public amenities at Bluffside Farm will benefit from a donation from Community National Bank (CNB). CNB has made a three-year funding commitment to support the property, which is open to the public and owned and managed by VLT.
The grant will support public access and maintenance across the farm, including parking areas, the Bluffside Recreation Path, and walking paths.
A community gathering spot in the heart of Newport
The over 120-acre property on Lake Memphremagog has public trails through fields and forest, leading to a sandy beach and scenic views across the lake. A nearly one-mile, ADA-accessible recreation path, added in 2021, includes a boardwalk over Scott’s Cove and connects to seven miles of recreation trails between the city and the Canadian border.
A community garden hosts around 20 plots for local gardeners to grow food and flowers in a communal space. Hundreds of pounds of food are donated from the gardens to families in need each year. Bluffside Farm also hosts local school groups for outdoor classes and nature walks.
We bought the former farm at the end of 2015 and have kept it open to the public ever since, after a community-driven process identified recreation, farming, and nature as local residents’ priorities.
A commitment to Bluffside and to the community
CNB played a key role in VLT’s acquisition and revitalization of Bluffside Farm. Their new funding commitment will help more people from the region and beyond explore Bluffside Farm throughout the year.
“CNB is extremely proud that we contributed to this initiative in its earliest stages,” said CNB CEO and President, Christopher Caldwell. “The Bluffside Farm project presented incredible opportunities for the Newport/Derby area to increase tourism, promote a walkable city, and encourage area residents to explore nature. CNB continues to recognize and appreciate the benefits that the Bluffside Farm trail brings to the community, so we have remained dedicated to the trail’s ongoing success and continue to give financial support for its maintenance and care.”
CNB has its headquarters in neighboring Derby, VT, and maintains deep ties to the region, with many employees living and working in the surrounding communities.
“Personally, my wife and I, along with our dog, always enjoy a Saturday morning run or walk through the area,” added Christopher. “Be it summer or winter months, there is something wonderful about being in town and yet feeling so connected to a natural area like Bluffside Farm when we are on its trails. Our community is a better place because of the gift that Bluffside offers us all.”
CNB’s partnership with VLT and support for conservation in the region dates back to the late 1980s. In addition to its support for Bluffside Farm, CNB contributed funding to help conserve Observatory Knob in St. Johnsbury and the island in Island Pond.
Newport: a recreation destination
Bluffside Farm is part of the Newport Outdoor Recreation Collaborative (NORC), a coalition of ten local recreation organizations and attractions focused on making Newport an outdoor recreation destination, by investing in local natural resources and improving public access.
“We want Bluffside Farm to be a community asset that serves as a place for people to get outside and connect to the land, supporting the vision of Newport as an outdoor recreation hub,” says Dan Kilborn, Lands Director with VLT. “CNB’s gift will allow us to maintain a high standard of public access to welcome visitors every time they come.”
Bluffside Farm is marking its 10-year anniversary in December 2025. A community celebration is planned for early 2026 to honor the many individuals and organizations that have supported the property over the years.
