SAINT PAUL'S

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church parish has been exploring ways to use our facilities, located
on Park Street in the heart of Downtown Vergennes, in ways that benefit the entire
community.

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After gathering input from parishioners and residents, we decided to redevelop our west -facing lawn into a public gathering space adjacent to the City Green.

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Several St. Paul's parishioners then reached out to The Vergennes Partnership to see if public funding was available. Although religious organizations are exempt from state funds tied to the Designated Downtown program, a portion of the church lawn is owned by the city, making that section (the Park Street sidewalk and retaining wall) eligible.

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City Council members supported the church's proposal to rebuild and widen the narrow sidewalk, making it accessible to those with disabilities, and to replace the retaining wall-- both of which are key components of St. Paul's broader landscape design. 

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That paved the way for the Partnership to apply for a Downtown Transportation Grant on behalf of the municipality, to help fund the city’s portion of the project.

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Fortunately, the grant proposal was accepted, providing $46,200 in state funds to add to the amounts the city and the church will pay for this improvement project.

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