Fireworks, Games At Planned Burlington Treehouse Opening

BURLINGTON, MA — Ongoing work to build a new accessible treehouse facility in Burlington’s Simonds Park will soon wrap up, officials said this week.

As the project takes shape, Burlington town employees and members of the community at large are gearing up for a celebration next month complete with fireworks, games and more.

The main grand opening celebration is set for Nov. 19 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., as noted in a town announcement on Tuesday.

A firework display will follow at 6 p.m. with sponsorship from the Herb Chambers family of vehicle dealerships.

Crews broke ground on their $200,000 treehouse project last month. The work is funded by contributions from the local Gillingham family and the Marshall Simonds Trust.

When complete, the treehouse will be a wood facility perched between multiple trees on the Simonds Park property next to the Burlington Town Common. It will represent a new recreational offering for the town of Burlington, according to officials, boasting a variety of accessibility measures.

The Burlington Parks and Recreation Commission approved a contract related to this project earlier this year, opting to bring in the Vermont-based Treehouse Guys, LLC to build the treehouse.

Officials estimated in mid-September that work on the treehouse project would take 10 weeks, putting it on track to wrap in time for next month’s grand opening.

Burlington's treehouse area is not the only spot of activity even among Burlington Recreation Parks and Department projects at Simonds Park these days.

The town recently kicked off a renovation effort at town-owned basketball courts at Simonds Park. Ongoing work is resurfacing existing courts while adding lighting and other amenities.

The Parks and Recreation Commission approved a $190,000 expenditure to fund basketball court work last month, though Recreation Director Brendan Egan indicated in a commission meeting that officials might be able to reduce costs to some extent.