Elizabeth River Trail Foundation Receives $150,000 National Park Service Grant

NORFOLK, Va. – (October 2024) – The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation was awarded its first National Park Service grant under the Chesapeake Gateways Grant program. The $150,000 grant will fund the Truth-Be-Told Audio Storytelling Project on the ERT.

This immersive audio project curates site specific stories to connect neighbors to the local contemporary history of the land they inhabit and invites trail users to experience the history at their feet through the personal narrative of voices often neglected and talked over, this project both enhances the trail encounter and invites new visitors. This project asks listeners to consider whether they know the history of the land they are on and creates space for them to answer why or why not?

Of 55 applications received by the National Park Service, 14 were awarded. “We are absolutely thrilled to have the ERT recognized on a national level with this grant. To be working alongside the team at Heard Productions to bring these important stories to life is a dream,” said Elizabeth River Trail Foundation executive director Kindra Greene. “We see the trail as an outdoor classroom with so many opportunities to connect us with each other and this project will be just another way to experience the trail and enrich our community.”

“The opportunity to bring stories from Black residents of Norfolk to the Elizabeth River Trail is a true expression of welcoming community. Recording the stories is only half of the life cycle–they need to then be HEARD in order for those experiences to have full impact,” said Hannah Sobol, Founder of Heard Productions.

The work on the audio project will begin this fall and will include trail signage, a podcast series, a series of trail community impact discussions and opportunities to meet the storytellers in person.

The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation’s mission is to plan, program and advocate for the Elizabeth River Trail to connect from Naval Station Norfolk to the Virginia Beach Trail. The Elizabeth River Trail runs 10.5 miles through businesses, historic attractions and 28 neighborhoods within a five-minute walk. The multi-use trail is designed for walking, running, and biking. It comprises 11 sections from Norfolk State University, through Downtown Norfolk and Old Dominion University to NIT Terminals along the Elizabeth River. The Foundation has completed multiple new unique and award-winning amenities, including kayak launches, play sculptures, a double turbo challenge course in Plum Point Park, The Glowline and most recently, the installation of the first hydration station. Major sponsors include the City of Norfolk and Sentara. For more information, visit elizabethrivertrail.org.