The Guilford Center Village Natural Playscape is growing, and we need your support!

The Guilford Center Village Natural Playscape is a community endeavor to transform a vacant, town-owned lot into an enriching playspace for our children.  Located at 70 Carpenter Hill Rd., the Playscape is a one-acre property with features for exploratory and imaginative play that integrate into the existing landscape.  This project aligns with initiatives in the Guilford Town Plan to revitalize Guilford Center Village and to create community spaces, while maintaining the rural landscape that Guilford values.

Many Guilford residents and organizations are enjoying the Playscape! 

• Volunteers have planted fruit and nut trees, identified and removed invasive species, and implemented improvements to meet town’s insurance requirements.

• The Guilford Recreation Commission has hosted many events at the Playscape such as a free Birth-to-Five Outdoor Playgroup, free Nordic ski instruction through The Bill Koch Nordic Skiing Project, the Guilford Community Picnic, and Scarecrows in the Park. 

• The Guilford Free Library and the Guilford homeschool community use the playscape for programming.  The Library utilizes the Playscape for their free summer camps! 

• The Community Garden was expanded this summer to include four raised beds and a hand water pump- funded by a grant from RiseVT.  The produce is available for the community as “You Pick” and is also harvested and donated to the Guilford Food Pantry.

The Guilford Recreation Commission was awarded a Building Communities Grant from the State of VT.  Grant monies were used to enhance the usability of the Guilford Center Village Natural Playscape.  

The Playscape enhancements supported by the grant include: 

1. Parking Lot Enhancement: Leveled and widened to accommodate 8-10 cars (including one handicapped accessible space) and applying a hard pack layer suitable for a parking lot. 

2. Class III Walkway/Wheelchair accessible looped trail: This looped trail promotes recreation for all members of the community and provides a safe location for off-road walking and jogging.  It is accessible to people who use a mobility device and to those pushing a stroller.  

3. Welcome Kiosk: This welcome sign will include the name and the rules of the park, communications about the park and its community gardens. Additionally, the kiosk will hold informational pamphlets for all of the attractions located in the Guilford Center Village.  

4. Signage for the parking area: These direct the flow of traffic for safety and include a handicapped parking sign. 

Your generous donation will help raise the needed funds for the Playscape enhancements!

 This grant requires a 1:1 financial match of $4,630.  To date, $314 has been received in donations, leaving a remaining balance of $4316. 

Here’s how you can donate:

Please donate via Paypal on this page, or donations may be made by check can be mailed to the Guilford Town Office. Please make payable to “Town of Guilford” c/o Guilford Recreation Commission.  If you would like a tax deductible receipt for your donation, please include your name and address with your donation.  Donations may be anonymous, if you wish.

Town of Guilford

℅ Guilford Recreation Commission

236 School Rd. Guilford, VT 05301