Killington Select Board approves recreation master plan

By Curt Peterson

On Monday night, July 8, the Killington Select Board approved the recreation department’s recommendation of awarding Vermont Integrated Architecture (VIA) of Middlebury a contract to create a master plan for the full recreation facility.

The recreation master plan is a comprehensive study of the facilities at the Johnson Recreation Center in town that will show necessary improvements to the town’s recreation facilities that they offer.

The project includes designing a new pool and pool house, updating the recreation facilities, and repurposing the current town hall. Recreation facilities also include the pavilion, playground, soccer field, two baseball fields and one softball field, tennis and pickleball courts, outdoor basketball court, ice rink, and pedestrian trails.

There were two bidders involved,and VIA was the lower bidder at $125,000. Those funds will come from the Planning Reserve Fund, explained Town Planner Lisa Davis.

Andrea Murray, co-owner of VIA, listed her firm’s qualifications, general services and past projects. “Four relevant projects” were in Bethel, Killington Mountain School, Richmond and Woodstock.

Murray laid out the overall process for completing the project master plan, including discussions with the recreation committee, assessment of the site and systems of the existing structures, compilation of possible designs, development of projects within the master plan and details of probable budgets, presentation of the final proposal and work schedule at public meetings.

“We hope to be ready to begin in September, and complete our planning by March 2025,” Murray said.

Select Board chair Jim Haff said he hoped construction could start in 2026.

Financing for the project is available from the Recreation Capital Fund ($109,000), the Special Projects Fund ($119,000), and the Recreation Pool Fund  ($450,000) — all approximations as confirmed by Town Manager Michael Ramsey.