Burlington Volunteers Transform Homeless Camp Into Green Space

When Andy Simon looks at Burlington's Barge Canal, he doesn't see trash and abandoned camps. He sees 60 years of ecological struggle finally getting a second chance.

The canal sits tucked behind trees off Pine Street in Burlington's South End. Years of homeless encampments left behind piles of trash and hazardous materials threatening to spill into Lake Champlain.

But Friends of the Barge Canal refuses to let this green space disappear. The volunteer group has spent months cleaning up the area, working around multiple property owners to restore the land one trash bag at a time.

Now they're asking the community to join them. On Saturday, May 3rd, volunteers will gather from 9am to noon for Vermont's annual Green Up Day. The group will provide all the supplies: trash bags, gloves, tools, and wheelbarrows.

"To help the soil, help the plants, help the place itself, restore the ecology of this area that it's been struggling to do for the last 60 years," Simon explains. The cleanup isn't just about removing garbage. It's about preventing toxins from reaching the canal and eventually filtering into the lake that defines Burlington.

The Ripple Effect

This cleanup represents something bigger than one Saturday morning. Friends of the Barge Canal partnered with the city to create a conservation focus group, holding their first meeting on May 1st to discuss long-term plans for the canal's future.

Simon sees the event as a chance for neighbors to connect while learning about their local ecosystem. "They'll get to know this beautiful area, they can help out, it's nice to work together," he says. Volunteers can ask questions about conservation, development, and yes, even homelessness.

The group's vision extends beyond clean paths and healthy plants. They want to create a safe environment for anyone walking through, turning a forgotten corner of Burlington into a community asset.

Whether it rains or shines on Saturday, Simon and his team will be there, proving that one group of dedicated neighbors can turn neglect into renewal.