WILMINGTON — On Saturday, Aug. 6, at 6 p.m., the River Bank Park in Wilmington will be officially dedicated. All Deerfield Valley residents and visitors are invited to attend this event to honor the many talented local craftspeople and volunteers who transformed a burned-out corner in the center of Wilmington into a prize-winning “pocket park.”
This corner in Wilmington has had a long and rich history. In 1853, the Wilmington Savings Bank was built in the center of Wilmington, and a bank remained on the site for more than 100 years. Eventually, the bank was replaced by a furniture store and then an antique store. In recent years, it was affectionately known as the “Bank Building.”
On Easter Sunday, April, 2007, the Bank Building burned to the ground and part of the lot fell into the Deerfield River. The town eventually bought the property at the intersection of Routes 9 and 100, stabilized the river bank, and commissioned the building of a park and pergola at the site.
The project received honors from American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation for creative design of a public space.
Commissioner Megan Smith of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, along with local dignitaries, will attend the dedication.
For more information, contact Wilmington Town Manager Fred Ventresco at 802-464-8592