Thursday, September 17, 2015

Burlington Streets Challenge - ONE Complete

Another installment in the series to ride every public road within Burlington's city limits in 2015.

With 228 streets behind me, I have completed the Old North End district, otherwise known as ONE, Burlington's up and coming part of town. Once a low income neighborhood, full of derelict houses, there's a move to unite new immigrants, artsy young people and elderly folks through shifting regional identity. Enter historic signs, community meeting spaces, multinational groceries and restaurants, a marriage of Old Spokes Home and Bike Recycle, ONE events, and the second year of Open Streets, closing 3 miles of roads to host and celebrate pedestrian and cycling activities. It's a veritable whirlwind of change!

A building with lots of character.
I've especially enjoyed pedaling through this part of town because I stumble upon pop-up libraries, sweet little gardens in public green spaces, and the most interesting houses. On dead end Crowley Street I find the Champlain Club. I've discovered it's a venue for Vermont Swings, a dancing club that utilizes space from regular members-only clientele that play poker and shoot pool on Friday nights. Originally called the Goethe Lodge or German Club, it's only one of many private clubs in Burlington. For some reason these organizations tend to reside in quiet neighborhoods. 
Close up of the Champlain Club's early roots as the German Club. Look at that spectacular window!


ONE developers and builders take care to blend new construction (like the metal siding shown above, trimmed in yellow) with existing wood clapboard structures (see green building). 



Some streets are filled with colorfully painted Victorian structures, giving new life and vibrancy to dense neighborhoods. 



There are as many as 50 houses all dolled up in striking color schemes. No longer viewed as garish, they have become an accepted, defining feature of the ONE district.


The map is upfront and center as I make sure to ride particular streets.
Now that it's September, I'm concentrating on completing certain city areas, For example, I designate two parallel streets that bisect one region, then set my goal to ride all streets in between that are not yet checked off my map. This may include riding dead end streets, or pedaling one block—whatever it takes to fill in quadrants on my map. 


And where else but the ONE would I encounter a food truck on it's way to some event!


As I exit the region, I pedal by a favorite bike rack, marveling at the size of the—albeit fixed—numerical lock.
Completed Streets to date:
  1. Red Oak Lane
  2. Valade Park
  3. Blondin Circle
  4. Venus Avenue
  5. Sky Drive
  6. Sunset Drive
  7. Meridian Street
  8. Sandy Lane
  9. Lopes Avenue
  10. Rosade Parkway
  11. Lakewood Parkway
  12. Tallwood Street
  13. Birchwood Street
  14. Leonard Street
  15. Kimball Avenue
  16. South Williams Street
  17. North Williams Street
  18. Booth Street
  19. Crowley Street
  20. Myrtle Street
  21. Summer Street
  22. Green Street
  23. Buell Street
  24. Cherry Street
  25. Main Street
  26. North Champlain Street
  27. Monroe Street
  28. Johnson Street
  29. Murray Street
  30. Allen Street
  31. Elmwood Avenue
  32. George Street
  33. Clark Street
  34. North Winooski Avenue
  35. Lafayette Street
  36. Converse Court
  37. North Willard Street
  38. Adsit Court
  39. Weston Street
  40. High Grove Court
  41. South Prospect Street
  42. King Street
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