Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan
Updated 9/25/2024
The Final Public Meeting
On September 24th, 2024, BPRW met with the Boys’ and Girls’ Club before hosting the final public meeting to review the final draft comprehensive plan for Roosevelt Park at the Old North End Community Center (ONE CC). Consultants from VIEWSHED and BPRW staff were available to review the process, plan and next steps with attendees. Participants at both the Boys’ and Girls’ Club weighed in on project prioritization, which will help the BPRW team identify funding sources for constructing or reconstructing facilities over the next several years.
View the plans presented at the final public meeting!
Next Steps:
A final report will be developed and include the project’s timeline, process, and project phasing strategies. Depending on the public’s prioritization results, available funding and capital planning, the plan will be implemented project-by-project over the next several years. One of the many benefits of having a comprehensive plan for a park is leverage for outside grant and funding opportunities where public input is a major component. This ‘roadmap’ for Roosevelt Park is just the beginning of the process for long-term improvements to the park.
Want to weigh in on project priorities?
Take our quick survey until October 11th!
9/4/2024
The Draft Comprehensive Plan – coming soon!
At the public meeting in June and through the survey that was open until July 12th, 2024, the public reviewed options presented for Roosevelt Park’s Comprehensive Plan. Over 50 people attended the meeting and over 290 responses were received on the survey – thank you to all who provided feedback!
Our design team has since reviewed the responses and drafted a final plan, to be presented at a public meeting on September 24th.
Missed both opportunities but want details? Read on!
To start, please note two important factors:
- The baseball dugouts, snack shack and bleachers are located outside the boundaries of the park! (How did this happen? We are unsure, but the City had a survey completed that notes the property line and the overlap.)
- There are currently ZERO sidewalks around the park and access to the park is challenging.
BIG MOVES: Access
The FRAMEWORK of the park is the starting point for all designs. Regardless of any choices for changes inside the park, the framework has been proposed to improve access, safety and to move park assets inside the park boundaries.
What does this mean? Two things:
- Once the City is ready to implement sidewalks around the perimeter of the park (not likely all at once), we would coordinate the timing to scoot in uses of the park that are beyond the boundary.
- Any new facility or asset will be constructed within the park boundary.
High-Level Takeaways: Add the Basics and Fill the Gaps
- The community wants improvements to basic amenities like seating, bike racks, restrooms and trash receptacles. More lighting and shade.
- Roosevelt Park already has great amenities – for active recreation like court sports, baseball and a playground. But soccer, roller skating and multi-sport need space too.
Join us at the final public meeting for the Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan on September 24th between 5-7pm (drop in anytime!) to learn what rose to the top for adding the basics and filling the gap!
The final public meeting will be held indoors to the Old North End Community Center (ONE CC), 20 Allen Street. RSVP are appreciated and guarantee we’ll email if there is a location change!
Please sign up for updates, check this project page or the BPRW facebook page if the weather is looking unfavorable for a meeting outside.
Please reach out asap for any accommodations or translations. Looking forward to seeing you in the park!
updated 6/28/2024
Curious about the options for Roosevelt Park’s Plan?
On June 6th, proposed options for Roosevelt Park’s plan were presented to the public in a public meeting. Members of the community who attended were asked to ‘fill up their lunch-trays’ (as pictured above- where the park is broken into a ‘west side’, and ‘east side’ and Little Rosie) with one of the three options presented for each area of the park.
Before the public meeting, the design team members from BPRW and VIEWSHED visited the Boys and Girls Club to update the youth and staff about the project process. They also heard about the different options for the park and provided feedback on their preferred options!
Project team members with options boards and activity at Boys and Girls' Club.
After meeting with the Boys and Girls’ Club, BPRW hosted the second Public Meeting for the Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan at the Old North End Community Center between 5-7pm. Our project team, comprised of staff from BPRW, REIB and City Planning, along with consultants from VIEWSHED, was on hand to review proposed options for the park with community members.
Community Members reviewing options for the park at the public meeting.
The options presented are based on community engagement that has been ongoing since the fall, when the project kicked off. Community engagement for this project has been multi-layered: meeting with park stakeholders (individuals who represent organizations who already use the park), meeting people in the park, forming a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) comprised of park neighbors, meeting with staff that maintain the park and city staff that work in or are working on planning projects around the park, meeting with community organizations, meeting with community leaders and with staff at nearby educational institutions.
Most importantly: we have been meeting with youth! It has been heartening to bring this process to many people and building relationships along the way.
If you were not able to attend the meeting, we’d still like to hear from you! Below is information about the options presented and a digital survey. The survey will be open until July 5th – please spread the word for your neighbors to weigh in!
Next Steps
Once the survey closes, the project team will review the data, compile feedback and comments, and work on a final draft plan for the park. The final plan will be presented to the public in early fall. If you are interested in updates on the meeting date or the project in general, please sign up for our newsletter or reach out to be on the Roosevelt Park – specific list.
Until we see you in the park, review information about the plan options!
Second Public Meeting Information Boards
Updated 6/6/2024
PLEASE NOTE: CHANGE OF VENUE
Due to the unfavorable weather on June 6th, the second public meeting will be held at the Old North End Community Center (ONE CC) at 20 Allen Street. Please reach out to Sophie Sauvé at 802-865-7248 with any questions.
Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan: Second Public Meeting, June 6, 2024
العربية (Arabic)|Français (French)|မြန်မာ (Myanmar/Burmese)| नेपाली (Nepali) || Soomaali (Somali) | Kiswahili (Swahili) |Español (Spanish)| Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Updated May 9, 2024
Click here to RSVP! – Let us know your coming and if you need any accommodations!
When: June 6, 5-7pm
Where: Roosevelt Park, 57 Oak Street* Old North End Community Center; 20 Allen Street.
*In case of unfavorable weather, the meeting will be hosted at the Old North End Community Center (CC ONE) Please RSVP for updates.
Refreshments will be offered. If you need translation services, childcare or another accommodation, please indicate in the RSVP or reach out directly to ssauve@burlingtonvt.gov.
Conceptual Plans
Join us for the second public meeting for the Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan! We’ll review results of the first public meeting, the resulting ‘big ideas’, provide an overview of proposed concepts of the park, field questions and talk about next steps! We want your feedback on the concepts – this is an important milestone in the project!
Community Advisory Committee and Expanding Outreach
December 6, 2023
Notes from the First Public Meeting
November 9th, 2023
On November 8th, 2023, BPRW hosted the first Public Meeting for the Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan at the Old North End Community Center. Our consultant team from VIEWSHED provided a presentation: Roosevelt Public Meeting presentation – 11/08/23 with results of the survey which was open to the public for seven weeks between August 30th and October 20th, which illustrated the many ways the public uses Roosevelt Park, what they feel is missing from the park to make it more welcoming for others, and provided data on survey respondents. VIEWSHED also gave an overview of the site analysis with a focus on historical, ecological and social stories of the park and what considerations and constraints might exist for improvements.
Following the information-sharing presentation, the attendees were split into five groups to take on redesigning the park. They were given a scaled site plan of the park as well as several cut-out amenities that could be added to the park space (or omitted!). Lots of interesting conversations ensued, including how several uses could be combined into some of the spaces and how consideration to adding more impervious surfaces could be mitigated.
Over 50 individuals attended the public meeting. They provided meaningful feedback on what activities matter most to them in the park and also participated in a visual preference survey (sticker dot exercise) that will be reviewed as an additional layer to the survey.
BPRW is grateful that CCTV live-recorded the meeting, which is available at: Roosevelt Park Comprehensive Plan Meeting – 11/8/2023 – YouTube
If you haven’t already signed up for project updates and would like to learn about upcoming meetings, please email ssauve@burlingtonvt.gov or go to our website to sign up for our newsletters. We’re looking forward to working with more community members throughout this process and welcome the opportunity to visit schools, community groups and collaborate on outreach to make sure our diverse community voices are represented in this process.
Roosevelt Park Public Meeting
November 8, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
O.N.E. Community Center, 20 Allen St.
If you need translation services or another accommodation, please indicate in the RSVP questions linked above, or reach out to ssauve@burlingtonvt.gov.
The Public Survey closes on October 20! If you haven’t filled it out, now is your chance!
Help Shape the Future of Roosevelt Park!
Take the survey, join the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), attend a public meeting and stay in touch!
(THE SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED — SEE THE LATEST UPDATES AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE!)
Updated: October 2, 2023
Help Shape the Future of Roosevelt Park!
Updated: August 29, 2023
Interested in helping us shape the future of Roosevelt Park? Or joining the Community Advisory Committee? Details are below!
Find translated versions of the image above here:
English | Kirundi |Français (French) |دری (Dari)|العربية (Arabic)|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) |Kiswahili (Swahili)|Soomaali (Somali)|پښتو (Pashto)| Doorhanger_नेपाली (Nepali)|Lingala
BPRW is teaming up with consultants to develop a Comprehensive Plan for Roosevelt Park!
Find translated versions of the information below here:
FR — Français (French) | RN — Kirundi | LN — Lingala | NE — नेपाली (Nepali) | PS — پښتو (Pashto) | SO — Soomaali (Somali) | SW — Kiswahili (Swahili) | VI — Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) | AR — العربية (Arabic) | PRS — دری (Dari)
What is a park comprehensive plan?
A park comprehensive plan is a document that provides a framework for improvements to a park. It includes information about the park, as it is, which includes: how it is used, what amenities exist, and what options are possible for improvements. It includes information about what changes are possible for the park and how the public is included in the process about any future improvements. A park comprehensive plan is a document that illustrates the steps taken towards a final plan for the future of the park.
What is the process for a comprehensive plan?
A park comprehensive plan process includes asking park users and those who manage parks changes they would like to see to the park. It means asking people, including neighbors or community leaders, recreation programmers and organizers, what would make the park better for more people in the community. There are usually three public meetings held throughout the process for a comprehensive plan: the first to hear how the park as it is works for everyone, the second to propose options for change, and a third and final meeting to talk about the proposed future changes to the park.
Why a comprehensive plan for Roosevelt Park?
Roosevelt Park plays a vital role in the Old North End community. It is a central hub for active recreation, for Boys & Girls’ Club activities and as green space for nearby school. It serves as both a neighborhood park and a home for baseball and soccer leagues, making it a bustling and vibrant space. However, with the evolving community dynamics and ongoing challenges posed by climate change, there is a pressing need for upgrades and improvements to the park.
By undertaking a comprehensive planning process, the Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront (BPRW) department aims to engage with the community and park users to shape the future of Roosevelt Park prior to making significant financial investments. This approach ensures that all stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute their insights and ideas, making the resulting plan truly reflective of the community’s desires and needs.
To kickstart this inclusive process, a thorough and inclusive public and partner engagement initiative will begin in the Fall of 2023. The vision and plan for Roosevelt Park will be community-driven, honoring its status as a cherished and heavily utilized park in Burlington’s Old North End.
Community Advisory Committee
To reflect community values and desires throughout the park planning process, we are forming a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will include local residents who will provide input on the process and will commit to actively participate in the process. CAC members may receive a $50 stipend per meeting to assist with indirect expenses such as childcare, food, or transportation. The stipends will be distributed monthly throughout the project until the maximum has been reached.
Please fill out the CAC interest form to let us know you are interested – bit.ly/CAC-Interest-Form
Contact Sophie Sauvé at 802-865-7248 or ssauve@burlingtonvt.gov for more information.
Some questions we will be asking:
- Are there opportunities to make the park more inclusive?
- What amenities are missing to make the park more accessible?
- What amenities would support activities that are NOT taking place at Roosevelt?
- Are there areas in the park that could host public art in the future?
- How does the neighborhood access the park? Are there connections to the surrounding community that need to be improved? Would sidewalks on the park-side be helpful?
- How can activities in the park be improved year-round?
- What existing facility upgrades would be beneficial?
We want to hear from you, from the parks’ neighbors and surrounding community. How do YOU use the park and if not, why not!?
- We would like to gather feedback on various aspects of the park, such as making it more inclusive, identifying missing amenities for accessibility, supporting new activities, potential locations for public art, improving connections to the community, enhancing year-round activities, and upgrading existing facilities. We value input from park users and the surrounding community, so we encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences.
To be notified of upcoming public outreach and events related to the project, please sign up at ssauve@burlingtonvt.gov.
Language Access 
- Translation services are available for public meetings! Let us know if you or someone you know needs assistance with translation or any other accommodation.
This park and adjacent playground have been HUGE assets to us as parents of a soon to be 7 year old. We currently utilize the park for Center City Little League, Parks and Rec soccer, and still find ourselves frequenting the playground. Home of perhaps the tallest tube slide in Burlington?
I feel as though the space boxed in by the bathrooms, tennis courts, Willow Street, and path is underutilized. Perhaps a highly desired feature/element could go here? Pickleball, fenced in area for dogs? Side note, waste stations with bags would be appreciated.
I’m not immediately fond of the idea of sidewalks around the park as it would push the fence inward and shrink the size of the park. Thinking particularly of the east and north sides and the existing structure locations. With that said, St. Mary’s Street is without a sidewalk and I think would benefit from one. Also, a crosswalk is needed across the northbound leg of Walnut Street at its intersection with Willow.
Lastly, I love to see the flexibility this park provides as I’ve seen some ramps and other features brought out for skateboarders, scooters, and bikers on one of the basketball courts. The wide open green space provides so much opportunity for various activities and is a rare commodity in the City.