Mountain Village Charter School awarded federal grant for community commons project

PLYMOUTH — Mountain Village Charter School has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission to support development of the Mountain Village Community Commons, a new public outdoor space that will open the school's Baker River property to the broader Plymouth community.

MVCS is a tuition-free, nature-based Montessori public charter school based in Plymouth that serves about 110 students in grades 1-8 from over 20 towns in New Hampshire.

The grant will fund construction of trails, a footbridge over Mill Brook, river access for canoeing and kayaking, parking and pedestrian improvements, and outdoor gathering spaces for both school and community use. The project will transform a school-owned property into an accessible natural destination for residents, students, families and visitors.

"This award is a turning point," MVCS Board Chair Delaney Carrier said."For years we have looked at this land along the Baker River and envisioned what it could become — not just a school campus, but a place where the whole community can enjoy the river and walk the trails. We are so grateful to the Northern Border Regional Commission for helping us take that first step."

The vision for the Community Commons grew out of a master's thesis project by Rutger’s University landscape architecture student Dani Daboll, who conducted community engagement and developed the conceptual site plan that has guided the project ever since.

The completed project will include:

• Publicly accessible walking trails and nature-based recreation opportunities
• A footbridge connecting trail corridors across Mill Brook
• Canoe and kayak access to the Baker River
• Improved parking and pedestrian access
• Outdoor gathering and presentation spaces for educational and community programming

Several community partners have endorsed this endeavor, including the Town of Plymouth, Plymouth State University's Outdoor Center, and Little Antlers Learning Center. Town officials have recognized it as an important investment in recreation infrastructure, while community partners have highlighted its value for outdoor education and public access to the natural landscape of the Baker River corridor.

Construction is expected to begin following final permitting and engineering, with implementation occurring over multiple phases.

"The Community Commons will create new opportunities for people of all ages to connect with nature and enjoy the Baker River," Carrier said. "We're proud to be stewards of this land and excited to open it to the community MVCS calls home."

Learn more at MountainVillageCharterSchool.org.