Beach House Project Information
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 few upgrades have been made to the building since it was built. The building is well past its prime in both aesthetics and functionality. In 2016 the Recreation Committee and Parks and Recreation Department started to take a serious look at the issues and improvements needed for the structure. The Town assessed its options and after much review, it was decided we would pursue building a new structure and moved forward with getting a design.
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.
The new design makes efficient use of wasted space by creating four individual bathroom / changing rooms to replace the separate men’s’ and women’s bathrooms. The number of toilets would increase from 2 to 4, and 2 of the 4 bathrooms would be ADA accessible. In addition, three semi-enclosed showers would be added on the south end of the beach house. The storage and day use room proposed for Beach Staff would be similar in size and functionality as it is in the current building. By utilizing the entire footprint space more efficiently, an added “porch” would provide sitting space with shelter that would be useful for a variety of activities held at the Beach. One interesting feature of the proposed design is the sliding “barn” doors at the entrance to the bathroom area and on each side of the sitting area allowing it to be more protective of weather or open when needed.
Fundraising efforts brought in a total of $27,873, mostly through individual donations. In addition, we have $20,000 that the Town committed in a previous fiscal year that was rolled over into the Beach Fund to help with design, engineering, and permitting. In March of 2022, voters authorized up to $350,000 in financing for the construction of a replacement Beach House at Shelburne Beach. Since the vote passed, we have secured contracts with structural and civil engineers who have been working in cooperation with the designer, Jeff McBride to prepare and begin the permitting process. We hope to have permits in place and an RFP out for bid in mid-December. We are currently working toward a spring 2023 construction timeline.
If you have questions about this project, please contact Shelburne Parks and Recreation Department. 802-985-9551.
As a committee, we welcome feedback from Shelburne residents to improve the overall beach appearance and functionality in keeping with the conditions and policies as established by the deed set forth when the land was given to the Town. Have a safe and fun summer!
The Shelburne Recreation Committee
Peggy Coutu, Chair
Members: Ann Clark, Hayley Cimler, Renée Davitt, Kelli Magnier, Susan McLellan, Kathie Pudvar, Marv Thomas, Bruce Whitbeck
