In May 2025, the Town of Lyndon was awarded a “Community Challenge” Flagship grant from AARP to be used for the purchase of new ADA-compliant picnic tables and for a butterfly garden to be installed in Bandstand Park! The official national announcement was made on June 18, 2025.

The AARP Community Challenge is a grant program to make tangible improvements in communities that jump-start long-term change. It is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages. To learn more, visit AARP.org/Livable.

The Town of Lyndon applied for a Flagship Grant in the “creating vibrant public places” category, to enhance Bandstand Park and make it more accessible.

The butterfly garden will add to the beauty of the park on the north side, balancing out the already established gardens. The plants should not only attract butterflies, but also hummingbirds, bees and other necessary pollinators. The easily accessible raised bed was constructed with untreated hemlock (durable but with no toxic chemicals) and organic mulch/soil to provide the most suitable habitat for pollinators. It was placed so that as you walk through the arching bushes at the north end of the park, you can see the fountain and gazebo through the trellis, which will soon be covered with flowering vines. Thank you to Holly Taylor and our other volunteers who came out on a very hot day to help with the planting! Watch for some upcoming educational signage about the plants and pollinators to be posted near the garden over the next few months. If you would like to volunteer with future maintenance of the gardens in Bandstand Park, please contact Planning Director, Tracy Bodeo, or a member of the Planning Commission.

(August 2025)
The garden is growing and the Wisteria is in bloom! Come take a look and enjoy the fragrant smell of the beautiful purple flowers.