For the past two years, the BBA has focused its attention on working with the city to make improvements to City Hall Park.

This summer, Burlington City Arts (BCA) announced that it will receive a $50,000 Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). One of only 51 grants awarded nationwide. the grant will be used to develop an inspired and functional master plan for City Hall Park, a green space at the heart of Burlington’s economic and civic life.

The grant is part of a new NEA initiative called Our Town, which aims to bring together "partners from the public and private sectors to strategically shape the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city or region around arts and cultural activities."

BCA's partners include the City Hall Task Force, the Burlington Business Association, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Merchants Bank, Preservation Trust of Vermont, King Street Center and the city of Burlington, as well as landscape architects David Raphael of Landworks in Middlebury and Jeffrey Hodgson of the H. Keith Wagner Partnership in Burlington.

“City Hall Park is one of the most under-realized resources in Burlington – it is a center of discourse (and yes sometimes discord), social engagement, economic vitality and sheer fun - and this grant will allow us to re-vision the forgotten jewel in our midst,” said BCA Executive Director Doreen Kraft.

“Merchants Bank is pleased to be partnering in this important initiative. City Hall Park is our community’s town square,” said Tom Leavitt, Executive Vice President, Merchants Bank. 

“Green space is essential to Burlington and its downtown. Thanks to this NEA grant we will work together to create a beautiful, useful green space at City Hall Park. A space for all of Burlington to share and enjoy,” said Kelly Devine, Executive Director of the Burlington Business Association.