A Community Treasure

Wheeler Nature Park is a widely used community resource, with walking trails, community gardens, and a popular outdoor event space, all with beautiful views of the Green Mountains. SBLT helped facilitate its development and was influential in preventing the South Burlington Police Station from being relocated onto the property. Our work resulted in a win-win for all parties: The Police Station moved to a much needed new facility at different location and Wheeler Nature Park became the community treasure that it is today.

The History of Wheeler Nature Park

The area we now call Wheeler Nature Park, on Dorset St., was originally part of the Wheeler family's land and more recently the Calkins Farm. In 1992 the City of So. Burlington purchased the house and 20 acres for gardens. Then, in 1999, the City acquired the remainder of a little over 100 acres to be set aside for natural area and passive recreation. They made a lease with the National Gardening Association, allowing the NGA to establish decorative gardens and to conduct a capital campaign for the restoration of the house as offices. Community gardens for residents were also allowed.

This was at a time of self-examination for the City, as citizens weighed in on the need for open space and what many considered over-development of the remaining land in the City. Public forums resulted in recommendations to the City Council as a new Comprehensive Plan was being written in 2000. The most important was the establishment of a "Conservation Fund" to be funded from one cent on the tax rate, for the purpose of purchasing open land deemed important for conservation. The Fund was voted in that year and an Open Space Plan was created in 2001-2.

The Need for a New Police Department

In 2007 there began to be vocal concerns raised about the Police Department facilities, then colocated with City Hall near the Fire Station and High School. The department badly needed more and better space. As the City examined options, they realized the costs that would be added through land purchase, and looked at lands already owned by the City. A corner of the Calkins Natural Area was suggested. This drew immediate opposition from the five-year old SBLT, which recognized that the land in question had been specifically purchased with taxpayer money and earmarked by them for natural resource and recreational use. Not only would this break faith with voters, but the building, the parking lot, the lighting, noise and 24/7 usage would actively damage the natural area. SBLT pulled out all the stops for a comprehensive campaign to educate voters about the reasons not to build on the Calkins property. Public information meetings, tours of the land, yard signs, door-to-door leafleting, public TV and radio spots and letters-to-the-editor were all used. The Smart Growth Vermont organization helped.

On Nov. 4, 2008 66% of the voters rejected the idea of using the Calkins Natural Area site. The effort had been huge but worthwhile. But the needs of the police were real and needed to be addressed soon. The SBLT strongly supported the police's needs and saw redevelopment of their existing site as the best answer. But the vote actually caused the parties to seek out alternatives. An excellent solution was found in the building on Gregory Dr. owned by Bobby Miller. The building was big enough for future expansion in a lease to own arrangement.

This experience resulted in a win-win outcome for the natural area and the police and it stretched and grew the reputation and capabilities of the SBLT.