Spring and summer are upon us, Burlington! As the warm weather and sunshine returns, it is time to emerge once again and smell, hear, feel, see, and otherwise sense the beauty of our community, so rich in all that it offers us. Longer and brighter days, beautiful sunsets, the final vestiges of snow in the parks and on the trails, calming lapping of lake waves on the beaches and against the docks, trees blooming and birds chirping and nesting on the branches above…all beckon you to come out and play! The parks offer us all so many varied and abundant opportunities to relax, be active both mentally and physically, socialize, and discover new experiences.

There is much in store for this busy season, as the City continues in its reinvestment of recreation programs, parks and facilities. You’ll see repairs to the Bikepath north of Oakledge Park at the Barge Canal. The Gordon Paquette Arena at Leddy Park will receive new ice dasher boards, and the North Beach gate house a new roof. For those of you around long enough to realize a touch of nostalgia, new, accessible bleachers will replace the more than 50 year old green ones at Memorial Auditorium. Miller Center fit-up will continue as we move toward completing the 2,400 square feet of space in the rear of the building, so that there is more usable space to meet more needs of the community. Finally, the department has been excited to participate in the Moran Center project as we move toward bringing some engaging new opportunities to the waterfront – it will be fun to watch that project blossom!

In the meantime, delight in any of the many recreation programs: we offer sport and activity specific camps and classes, fly fishing, track& field, sailing, the popular Playmobile, music, bocce, tennis, outdoor education, and gardening, to name a very few!

Happiness happens here at Burlington Parks & Recreation…come out and find yours!