South Hero Recreation Commission Monthly Meeting
Agenda for January 21, 2025
Call to order
Members present: Phil, Carol,Dylan Sue, Jessica, Ann as guest
Approved prior meeting minutes
Adjustments to the agenda, none
Public Q&A and updates. Ann Z brought up White’s beach tree planting.. She would like Guy Maguire’s input as well as Steve Robinson’s. DJ will show up this month or soon. Dylan mentioned that this should be on agenda every month. Phil agreed. Ann suggested that we might wait until fall to plant.
Discussion Items
Updates from Town Select Board at last meeting – Sue (if any) Lavin property focus on wastewater, but there are parts that might be used for recreation.
Toddler Time” in the gym at Folsom on Sundays from 10-11:30 for the winter – Whitney Doremus and Dylan. Whitney asked if this could be covered under our insurance. Carol made a motion to approve insurance and it was approved. Sue will let Julie Pidgeon, Sue McNair and Whitney know.
Passes for skating and Catamount Outdoor Center update – Rosemary bought the skating passes For Public skating at Cairns Arena and delivered them to the town office and library. 60 adult passes @ $5 and 60 youth passes @ $3. = $480. Rosemary was notified that the Library was out of Catamount passes. She will order more. In the future, passes will be only at the library. She posted on Front Porch Forum that the SHRC sponsored the program for use by South Hero residents.
SHRC annual summary submitted. Email from Phil copied to all.
Trail updates – Guy provided an update regarding the SH Rec trail at Folsom – also known as the David Hobbs trail. Guy will ask Don and Bernadette Pearson about signage to honor the Eagle Scouts and Pearson child that was the impetus for building the ADA accessible trail. There could be an event in the summer about honoring Dave Hobbs with Tristan attending.
Clarify any remaining confusions regarding the Smugglers Notch Ski program and Masonic temple donations. Dylan- The rec program and the school program are totally separate. The Rec Comm program pays for Grades 1-4 and the Masons donate to the Middle School program.
Winter Volleyball –Dylan – Mondays 7:15 pm. Update on town website.
Winter Basketball, Tuesdays 7pm
Note from Guy Maguire copied below.
Miscellaneous / open discussion. Town Park has a budget earmarked. Title is being transferred from Nate Hayward. First phase- parking, landscaping, pavilion, may start this summer. Very close to announcing plans.
5. Agenda Items for the February meeting: Ann Z asked about outdoor skating. Dylan will ask Andy Julow about the North Hero oval lighted area on the ice.
Report on the ski program which starts January 30. 40 kids signed up.
Guy’s report on trails
Tree work at the beach
Town park land transfer.
Toddler time.
Catamount passes
6. Next meeting, 7pm February 11.
7. Adjournment motion approved
Note from Guy:
“Lavin Property – trails and park idea. I would love to be able to talk about this with you all in person, but since I can’t be there, I wanted to give you all a summary of on what we’re thinking over at SHLT, for you all to consider. Maybe we can talk about it more at the Feb meeting.
Specifically, as the Lavin parcels are purchased by the town, we have an opportunity for trails and rec. Dave Carter from the selectboard approached SHLT asking if we had any ideas for the back two parcels, and so we thought it might be a good time to resurrect the idea of a trail through the property, connecting the rec park trails to the community lane area.
This has long been a goal of SHLT, and the rec commission, back in the day when Dave Hobbs was involved. At one point we even had grant funding for building a trail, but then Marty Lavin dropped us at the last minute. I think there would be broad community benefit from a trail, both as a safe route between the school and library for students, but also for community members for walking, biking, etc. to and from school, as a rec path.
We could also consider turning that back portion of the property, with the wetlands, into a town park/natural area, either by itself, or as an extension of the rec park, since they are contiguous.
There is septic in there as well, which would be on the park land, or you could adjust the boundaries to make that separate, however it would work. And, as most of that back area where a park could be is mostly wetlands and wetland buffers, so not much potential for development.
I have attached a (very) rough map that I sketched up – an idea of the trail and park area, just to get the conversation started. I also attached the subdivision plan, in case you want that for reference.
So yeah, if you have time at the meeting, chat about that, let me know what you think. I can also bring this to the feb meeting
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y7QVOV0-wp0Qb40_-xpQvaRkD2lGWiO7/edit