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"…(such) a community would have an array of outdoor and indoor
facilities including parks, open spaces, and swimming pools. It would have a
variety of organized activities for all ages and all segments of the community
as well as activities oriented toward families. There would be many one-time
events such as concerts, fairs, celebrations, and festivals for families. In
addition, nearby outdoor recreation such as bike trails, hiking, ball parks, and
entertainment opportunities would be available."
-The Makings of a
Family-Friendly City and Municipal Government's Role, National League of Cities
Broadly, Burlington should continue to be the cultural center for the state.
Burlington's waterfront should remain a major visual and recreational resource,
providing a range of cultural, recreational, social and economic activities for
the entire community. The City should continue to provide cultural and
recreational programming, as well as supporting the cultural and recreational
opportunities provided by the private and third sectors.
WHAT'S ALREADY WORKING:
Currently, there is a high level of activity underway in cultural and
recreational opportunities. City programming draws people from throughout the
greater Burlington area, and activities frequently have waiting lists. Programs
and recreational areas are neighborhood-based and friendly in scale. Programming invokes high levels of volunteers (a big asset), and there
is a good level of collaboration among city departments and area nonprofits.
Activities offered through the City currently include:
1. Family/Youth Services Programs at the Fletcher Free Library:
- Baby and
Toddler Song and Storytime
- Music with Robert and Gigi
- Moving and Grooving
(movement program for 2-5 year olds)
- Homeschoolers' storytime
- Stories and
Stuff (for 3-5 year olds)
- Home Day Care Bookbag program
- Summer Reading
Program (at the library and outreach to community)
- Author/Illustrator talks
(for school age children)
- Book Discussion Groups
- School Vacation programs
and activities (musicians, puppet shows, storytellers, crafts, etc.)
- Bookmark
Contest § Teen programs (art, crafts, computers, etc.)
- Pet Show (co-op
between Fletcher Free Library and Parks & Rec)
- Teen Advisory Board
2. Current programming at the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department
includes:
- Itty Bitty Programs (3 to 5 year olds) include Itty Bitty Drama, Itty
Bitty Skiing at Cochran Ski Area, Itty Bitty Skating Lessons, Itty Bitty Hockey,
and Itty Bitty Public Skating.
- CityKids After-School Program: Quality
after-school care with a wide variety of recreational, educational and enriching
field-trip activities for children in grades K-5 at four elementary school
sites: Champlain, Edmunds/Wheeler/Barnes, Flynn, and C.P. Smith.
- Creative
Dramatics: A class for 7- to 10-year-olds emphasizing improvisation, theatre
games and creating dramas out of the children's own stories, ending with a class
performance open to the public.
- Performing Group for Ages 9 - 12: The X
Theatre's touring company rehearses and performs an original one-act play with
sets, costumes, lights and make-up. The production tours to senior centers,
hospitals and schools before its final performance for the public. The class
requires commitment from the students.
- Youth Basketball Co-Ed and All Girls
Program: A recreational league with designated practice time for boys and girls
in grades 1- 8. Participants are assigned to a team, with practices held once a
week at "home" locations and games on Saturdays.
- Youth Gymnastics:
For children who want to explore gymnastics as a beginner, teaching fundamental
skills on floor, balance beam, springboard and vault.
- Punt, Pass, Kick: NFL
National Football Skills Competition for boys and girls ages 8-15. Winners will
advance to sectional competition with a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
- Youth
Ski Program: Cochran's Ski Area offers standard learn-to-ski programs for 6- to
8-year-olds that follow the ski-school approach of working with an instructor
without assistance from parents.
- Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding for Beginners
at Sugarbush North: A six-week program for beginners in grades 3 through 10 that
includes weekly lessons, lift tickets and transportation. Youth with
disabilities are accommodated with the help of Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sport.
- Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding at Bolton Valley: The downhill ski program at
Bolton Valley provides an opportunity for children from 8 to 16 to learn to ski
or snowboard and improve their ability at an affordable cost, with
transportation provided.
- High School Hoops Night: Organized tournament at
Memorial Auditorium for ages 14 - 18. § 242 Main: A substance-free, youth-run
facility located in Memorial Auditorium, providing a safe environment and
resources to foster music, activism and the arts in downtown Burlington.
Examples of current activities include Movie Night on Tuesdays, a Coffee House,
Poetry Slams and band performances. § C.h.A.O.S. (Child Angler Open Species):
Fish Tournament for youth to Age 14 § "The Great Pumpkin Skate"
3. Current programming at City Arts includes:
- After School Arts classes
for youth meet twice a week for 6 weeks, a total of 25 hours.
- Imagination
Station: Six week sessions for 6-8 year olds with artist Kate Hodges exploring
painting, drawing, sculpture, woodworking, textiles, papermaking and more.
- Art Exploration: Six week sessions for 8-10 year olds with Kate Hodges exploring
painting, drawing, sculpture, woodworking, textiles, papermaking and more.
- Cartooning: Once a week classes for 11-13 year olds with Suse Mowrer developing
characters to star in handmade books, comic strips and evolve into colorful
puppets, with lessons in drawing, sculpting and paper mache, and applying found
materials to create multi-dimensional cartoons.
- Animation: Twice a week
classes for 11-13 year olds with Heather Ward where students direct their own
animated videos, developing unique characters out of clay and imaginative art
supplies, creating storyboards and learning stop animation techniques.
- Saturday Workshop for Kids are designed to combine art history with hands-on
projects and creative expression. Each session focuses on an artist, their life,
art and subject matter. For example, Fresco Painting explores the murals of
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, discussing story depiction and the vibrancy and
liveliness of frescoes, and learning the ancient technique of painting on wet
plaster.
4. Programming at the Church Street Marketplace includes:
- MAR'KID'FEST,
with an Annual Around the World Treasure Hunt, the Upperloveland Puppets, Alice
McNeish School of Irish Dance, Wall of Hands, Stowe Mountain Resort Adventure
Programs, and Border's Multi-Cultural Storytime.
- Marketplace Halloween
Costume Parade and Festival
- Annual Holiday Parade, with the lighting of the
Street
WHAT COULD BE ADDED:
In addition, the City should:
1. Develop a system for expanded and coordinated outreach regarding family
events and programming in the City.
- Establish a central calendar for all
departments
- Explore combining existing departmental newsletters into a single
City newsletter
2. Review fee bases and make sure programming is affordable to all residents,
with scholarships available.
3. Build the new Recreation Center(s).
- Develop alternative sites,
programmatic alternatives and financing options for the development of one or
more Indoor Recreation Centers in the Downtown or in convenient neighborhood
locations.
4. Continue to support the opening of the new ECHO at the Leahy Center for
Lake Champlain.
5. Evaluate the feasibility of linking cultural facilities through the use of
a downtown cultural/arts district or through a centrally-located arts
information kiosk.
6. Increase the availability of community gardens, perhaps with greenhouses.
Page last updated September 5,
2002
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