The town park located by Bennington Station on Depot Street was temporarily closed due to health and safety concerns.
STORY UPDATED JUNE 30: Rotary Park to Reopen July 3
The Rotary Park, also known as People’s Park, or Bennington Station Park, will reopen on Monday, July 3.
The park was temporarily closed this past Tuesday due to health and safety concerns. Town crews are cleaning the area in preparation of reopening and we appreciate everyone’s understanding as we address the situation to return the park to a condition that is safe for everyone.
We recognize that the great majority of users of the park do so in a respectful way and our goal is to ensure that everyone can use the public areas of our town without fear or concern.
If you or someone you know is struggling with housing, mental health, or substance use disorder, there are resources available to help. To be connected to social services support you can call 211. In addition, these local resources are available: for those who are unsheltered, contact the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless at 802-442-2424; for those needing support for substance use disorder, contact the Turning Point at 802-442-9700; for those struggling with mental health issues, contact United Counseling Service at 802-442-5491; for food insecurity or health needs, contact the Greater Bennington Interfaith Community Services at 802-447-3700. Those without phones can also speak to any police officer to be directed to services and support.
While no shelters were found during the park closure, we recognize that the recent reduction in the motel voucher program is a real issue and there is concern from our community for those individuals who came out of motels in Bennington on June 1st. With the recent extension of motel vouchers for those most at risk the community has some time to find permanent solutions. The Town is actively working with all the organizations in our community to take advantage of this temporary reprieve to find those solutions and implement them. We are thankful to be part of a community that understands and values all members of our community, this includes those who are struggling with poverty, mental health, and substance use disorder.