Founded in 1959, Perkins Pier is the neighborhood access point for Lake Champlain, offering Burlington locals and visitors open space, play and boating amenities with commanding views of the lake and of the Adirondack Mountains beyond. Located on the formerly industrial waterfront and vulnerable to lake flooding, Perkins Pier symbolizes both the past and future of Burlington. Pressures from the city’s greenway through the site, the rail expansion from the west, and the wastewater treatment plant from the south require visionary thinking to reposition the park for the next century of use.
The Perkins Pier Siting Study process engaged a variety of stakeholders, including local neighbors, boaters, BPRW staff, city officials, and indigenous communities. To ensure that residents were able to engage with the plan in-person and online during COVID, the team deployed in park pop ups to share the project developments to ensure those aware and unaware of the plan were able to contribute their ideas to the park’s redevelopment. Completed in 2022, the plan unites both the land and water on the site, and focuses on integrating economic development, enhancing visitor experiences and residents’ quality of life.
In collaboration with our teammates, VHB and Moffatt + Nichol, Agency established a vision for Perkins Pier as a truly four-seasons destination, meeting the needs of Burlington residents today and as the city continues to grow and evolve. Perkins Pier is part of over a decade of collaboration with the Burlington community, from the Parks Master Plan in 2015 to design work along the famed Bike Path to ongoing work on the Great Streets Initiative for Main Street.
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