Kieslich Park

11.94 Acres

311 North Avenue

Kieslich Park is a hub of activity. Not only has the neighborhood development embraced the open space to play and picnic, but it also is home to the Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Conservation Team, community garden sites, new native plant gardens and more. The Red Stone Cottage serves as the office for the Conservation Team and public spaces within the building are being developed.

Unlike today’s park space, the history of the land hasn’t always been a positive story. Beginning with the original colonization of Abenaki land, this land has also housed a misused orphanage where many children experienced abuse, followed by the unfortunate closure of Burlington College, a beloved local arts college. Now in public hands, the park is embracing a management plan that centers on healing and reciprocation. It will be, in perpetuity, a space for learning, sharing, and reflection.

Connection

Kieslich Park is an important corridor for wildlife making the connection between the Burlington Intervale and the urban reserve along the shores of Lake Champlain. The park is bounded on the west and east by the Burlington Greenway and North Avenue, and to the north sits the Cambrian Rise neighborhood- the largest development in the state of Vermont. Paths lead from the stone cottage and nearby woods down the slopes toward the lake where they connect to the Greenway. An ADA accessible trail is due to be completed in the near future.

Access

Kieslich Park can be accessed by the main entrance on North Avenue where there is limited parking, and a rack for bikes. A walking path enters the woods from the sidewalk just south of the main entrance and can be accessed at its terminus along the Greenway between the entrance to Texaco Beach and the Lakeview Cemetery; you'll see this entrance on the east side of the Greenway.