Beach House Update
Current Status Update: 09/18/2023
Demo on the old beach house began September 5, 2023. The first two weeks have seen the removal of the old building and excavation of the new building footprint. While the size and basic dimension of the structure will remain the same, the building will move about 20 feet to the east, further away from the lake to create more lakefront green space and to line up the covered deck space of the new building with the sightline of the picnic green space of the park area.
We expect the exterior of the building and most of the interior to be completed by December. Depending on weather conditions, a winter break will commence on construction and pick up again in early spring when interior finishes and landscaping will take place. The goal is to have the project completed in time to open the beach in late May or early June 2024.
The park is still open to visitors, but please excuse the mess while we are under construction! The project area will be fenced off so Shelburne Residents may still use the green space for picnics, lake access, and the playground while construction is going on. However, there will be trucks, equipment, etc. so please use caution driving in and out of the facility and supervise children closely.
Timeline of Project History
The property now known as Shelburne Beach was donated to the Town of Shelburne in the fall of 1954 by Dunbar and Electra Bostwick. The concrete block Bath House was built by volunteers in 1956. Minimal maintenance and a few upgrades have been made to the building since it was built. The building is well past its prime in both aesthetics and functionality.
2016 – The Recreation Committee and Parks and Recreation Department started to take a serious look at the issues and improvements needed for the structure. They contracted with VIA to produce an engineering assessment of the building structure, improvements, and recommendations. After much discussion of the results, the Town Selectboard voted to move forward with a design for a new Beach House.
2017 - The design for the new Beach House was created by Jeff McBride of Sidehill Design. Jeff is a Shelburne resident who visits the beach frequently with his family and has a vested interest in seeing an improved facility for the community. Jeff worked closely with the Recreation Committee to meet the needs and requirements of the types of use for the structure, and researched the land use history to envision an updated structure that will still visually blend with the farming landscape and rural setting. The current design is available for viewing under the Related Documents link on the right side of this page.
With completion of the design, an initial estimate of $350,000 for the project was determined. The Selectboard included the project in the capital budget plan hoping to move forward with the project in a 3–5-year plan.
2020 – The Recreation Committee began a fundraising and awareness campaign to support the Beach House project. Several fundraising projects were initiated with varying degrees of success from 2020-2022. Fundraising efforts brought in a total of $27,873, mostly through individual donations.
2022 - In March of 2022, voters authorized up to $350,000 in financing for the construction of a replacement Beach House at Shelburne Beach. Contracts with structural and civil engineers were secured, and they began working in cooperation with the designer, Jeff McBride to prepare and begin the permitting process. Permits were secured by December and an RFP out for bid in mid-December.
2023 – An RFP was put out early in the year, and Farrington Construction won the bid process. Since there wasn’t enough lead time to get the construction done before the 2023 beach season, a schedule was put in place to begin construction at the end of the beach season, just after Labor Day, as to not disturb the short beach season at the park facility.
If you have questions about this project, please contact Shelburne Parks and Recreation Department. 802-985-9551.
