What’s the Legacy Project vision?
[Message from Former Mayor Clavelle and the Legacy Project Steering Committee]
“The Burlington Legacy Project Action Plan provides a road map to a healthier tomorrow…Provides a blueprint for change for the economic, environmental, social, and cultural health of our community for generations to come…Working collaboratively with unit of purpose, we will achieve the healthy future detailed in this plan through the strong active involvement of all the city’s residents in governance and day-to-day decision-making. People from all sectors of our community must continue to strive together to make our collective vision a reality…This plan calls for carefully planned growth, it recognizes that we cannot abandon our commitment to the very things that make Burlington a special place in which to live, work, and raise our families. It affirms that growth can only happen together with a firm commitment to preserving our city’s physical and natural environment, maintaining open space, and strengthening the integrity and quality of life in our neighborhoods and families…Our commitment to the health and vitality of future generations begins with investing in greater educational, employment, social and recreational opportunities for the young people of today.”
When was Legacy’s plan developed?
The process of building the plan and working with the community began in 1999 and was headed off by the former Mayor Peter Clavelle with help from a mayoral steering committee. In 2000 a public involvement campaign to prepare the Legacy Plan was ratified in City Hall. The participatory process took 12 months to complete and after which, a comprehensive plan based around the four E’s was developed and implemented.
What are some demonstrated successes of achieving the goals and objectives of the Legacy plan?
There are multiple cases of the Legacy Project achieving its goals and objectives. For example, through the Champlain Housing Trust and other non-profits, Burlington has added to its stock of subsidized, affordable housing. Thanks to the Burlington Electric Department, Burlington uses as much energy today as we did in the mid-1980s. The Burlington Schools Food Service, which supports healthy children, farms, and local food production, serves as a national model of a working Farm-to-School program. The project has had a tremendous impact on the quality of life of our community and helps meet equity, environmental, and economic goals of the Legacy Plan.
