Downtown Winooski set to put $45K into Rotary Park renovations

Traffic flows through the Winooski Circle. Photo by Catherine Morrissey

More than $45,000 is set to bring Rotary Park “dimension, life and magic” through a flight of improvements planned for this year, according to the leader of this city’s downtown development nonprofit.

Downtown Winooski raised $15,498 in 60 days through a crowdfunding campaign, meeting its goal of $15,000 on April 26, a week ahead of schedule, said executive director Melissa Corbin. Through a partnership with the state’s Better Places project, each of those dollars will be matched and doubled, bringing the total pool for renovations to over $45,000. 

“It’s such a beautiful way to bring communities together,” said Corbin.  “People can donate $10 and see $45,000 worth of impact in their park.”

The donors included close to 70 people who had never given to the nonprofit before — an indication of the idea’s popularity, Corbin said.

The money is slated to go toward a series of renovations at Rotary Park: a glass mosaic art installation (featuring a tile engraved with donor names), a perennial plant display, safety path lighting, new colored tree lights and a mobile performance tent with a projection screen for community movie nights and art shows. 

In the years since the peak of pandemic isolation, people across the country have made a push for more community spaces in an increasingly digital age. Places like New York’s Central Park, Boston Common and Church Street Marketplace in Burlington are recognized for helping bring a sense of togetherness to the cities they’re in.

Downtown Winooski’s project plans to transform Rotary Park into one of those places, somewhere people will want to spend more time. 

“What we’re really trying to do is make Rotary Park a more utilized space in Winooski,” said Corbin. “There was a survey done about five years ago of the community, and our residents in Winooski voted that Rotary Park was the most underutilized park in our city.”

The project aims to liven up what is often an empty, unremarkable plot.

“Rotary Park is just very ‘blah’ in its color scaping, right? It’s very browns, grays, neutrals, greens. It’s very flat,” said Corbin. “It needs color, it needs life.”

So Downtown Winooski envisions colored lights adorning the park trees that glow different colors depending on the kind of events going on. That’s on top of embedding lush gardens to accent performances and movie showings.

But Beth Butler and Nancy DeLuca — two residents of nearby towns sitting on a bench facing the park recently — worry whether bringing more gatherings will be safe enough given the park’s busy location.

DeLuca, from Colchester, said the traffic around the park is a “drawback” and that whenever she thinks about visiting, she has to consider whether the busy street setting is too much. 

In five minutes of sitting on that bench, the women were alarmed at the number of vehicles rolling through a stop sign at one of the crosswalks. 

“Stop for the old ladies!” DeLuca shouted at the cars. 

Corbin believes the park upgrades will help slow traffic down and make the rotary safer for passersby. 

“What we can try to do is create a community space that is letting people know as they’re driving through that this is where people live, this is where people are walking and biking, and we should slow down and admire the lights in the trees, the garden or the artwork,” said Corbin. “This is our small way of trying to make change before there is actual infrastructural change that the municipality can implement.”

Despite their misgivings about the safety of the park’s location, both Butler and DeLuca said they enjoy attending events there and, if proper precautions were taken, would support more.  

Some business owners in the area have mixed feelings, recognizing the advantages of hosting more events but contemplating a looming issue: Downtown construction from the Main Street and Burlington-Winooski bridge projects could limit access to these businesses, reducing the benefits of an upgraded park. 

“We have more business on a night when something is scheduled down at the park, absolutely,” said Ryan Johnston, co-owner of Mckee’s Pub & Grill on the rotary. “We are very happy to support any of these opportunities, but I don’t think that’s the golden goose. Will it be enough? Is it too late? That’s the issue.” 

Downtown Winooski met with local businesses to address their fears in a meeting on April 29. The nonprofit’s leaders remain confident the park renovations will be good for business.

“Business owners shared with me that when we hold events in Rotary Park, they see anywhere from a 30 to 70% increase in sales over another comparable night, i.e., another Wednesday during the same month,” said Corbin. “It’s the intention, hope and goal that any time we are operating in the park, we are infusing some economic stimulus into the downtown.”

Dan Hock, owner of the Winooski Wheels bike shop, said he gives the park renovations his full support. “I’m psyched about the work that people are putting in to make it a more useful space,” said Hock.  “I feel like creating more meeting places for people, particularly safe, healthy, outdoor environments, is really important and brings vibrancy to your city.”

Downtown Winooski has one year to use the money from the state, which Corbin estimates could come in sometime in early June. She hopes to see some installations ready for display in time for the group’s July events.

“I’m really curious to see what this whole thing is going to look like,” said Corbin. “I’ve got some really visionary people on my board. They are out of this world excited about what it’s going to bring to the park, so I’m just along for the ride, trusting and looking forward to it.”