{"id":5058,"date":"2025-07-02T18:56:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T18:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/?page_id=5058"},"modified":"2026-01-02T16:41:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T16:41:53","slug":"aarp-grant-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/?page_id=5058","title":{"rendered":"AARP Grant Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In May 2025, the Town of Lyndon was awarded a \u201cCommunity Challenge\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

<\/strong>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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The Town of Lyndon applied for a Flagship Grant in the \u201ccreating vibrant public places\u201d category, to enhance Bandstand Park and make it more accessible.<\/p>\n

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The butterfly garden adds 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.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-garden-1.jpg” title_text=”new garden-1″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-garden-complete.jpg” title_text=”new garden-complete” _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/garden-signage-2.jpg” title_text=”garden signage 2″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/garden-signage-1.jpg” title_text=”garden signage 1″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-02-113644.png” title_text=”Screenshot 2025-07-02 113644″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/thumbnail_IMG_0599.jpg” title_text=”thumbnail_IMG_0599″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AARP13c.jpg” title_text=”AARP13c” _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AARP10.jpg” title_text=”AARP10″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AARP12c.jpg” title_text=”AARP12c” _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AARP7.jpg” title_text=”AARP7″ _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.lyndonvt.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AARP14c.jpg” title_text=”AARP14c” _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px” border_width_all=”2px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.5″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

(November-December 2025)
Mulch was added to the garden after the growing season ended. Dead flower heads were left on the stems, and the stems were left in the garden to provide overwintering sites for immature insects. Educational signage including a QR code with a link to our Pollinator Garden Information page<\/a> was installed on the garden, along with AARP-funded project signage for both the garden and picnic tables.<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: <\/strong>(July 2025)<\/p>\n

<\/strong>The new ADA accessible picnic tables and butterfly garden are now in Bandstand Park! A big thank you to volunteer extraordinaire, Katie P., for donating her time to assemble all six tables and the garden trellis! After their assembly, Katie and the rest of our volunteer crew were able to place the picnic tables in the park before the Wednesday evening Band Concert on July 16th and in time for the Lyndon Stars and Stripes Parade and Festival on July 19th. \u00a0These added amenities allowed participants to more easily sit and enjoy their meals from the amazing food vendors. And they will continue to enable all guests at concerts, during the Farmers Market, and on everyday park visits to have a picnic or enjoy a delicious takeout meal from one of our local restaurants, or play a game, do homework, etc., and a space is provided at every table for a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

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(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.<\/p>\n

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