The Ralston Community Church serves as a wonderful place for the citizens of Ralston. With the church people are able to connect to each other and to express God’s love by encouraging each other to stand firm to their faith. There was a time where Ralston didn’t have a church and many christians citizens felt the need to gather together but didn’t have that opportunity. They felt the need to share their faith with others but also felt like they don’t belong. But then one day the government came to their needs and provided a church in the community. The sense of belonging came back to the Christians in the community and the Christianity community continued to grow more as they shared their faith with other citizens. To learn more about Ralston Community Church go to the Ralston website under the categories, “Culture, Recreation, and Religion,” you will find all the information you need.
Every community needs contact zones, and it’s often a nice feeling when those zones are lively places where people can come together for entertainment, discussion, relaxation, and leisure.
Our beautiful city of Ralston already features some beautiful parks and lively downtown venues, but I believe the one-of-a-kind location deserves something that does it an even greater honor. A public, outdoor amphitheater would be a lovely addition to our community with a lot of value.
Ralston is already known as a popular sight for Vermont filmmakers, but an outdoor projection screen and film festival could easily compete with the venues of Burlington. Live music could bring people to Ralston for dining and entertainment on a regular basis. The outdoor feel would even attract more folksy, authentic Vermont performers than the indie-centric venues of Burlington. Public forms could also be held here, and would likely draw more attention due to the visible nature of an outdoor discussion. This could in turn contribute to residents of Ralston having their voices heard on a more frequent basis. For economic benefit, a closed off and ticketed area with provided seating could be installed. These seats would have the best views and be relatively comfortable, encouraging people to invest in tickets. However, sticking with the accessible nature of Ralston, standing room should be available behind this seating area so that people can still participate in the entertainment.
The scale of this amphitheater should be decided by a board of community members. A larger venue will attract more use, but create more noise in town that locals may have mixed feelings about. A small venue, however, would still be advantageous to the community. Because this installation affects the larger community, the community should have a say in its design.
Despite this potential interference, such venues have been very successful in other urban centers. The Ting Pavillion in Charlottesville, Virginia, is a great example of a large and popular amphitheater that gets a lot of use without taking away from the city’s charm. A similar design in Ralston could prove effective!
An amphitheater would suit Ralston well in Ward 2, near City Hall Park, or Ward 1, west of the golf coarse. Both of these locations are noticeable from the downtown area, and easy to access for visitors from Burlington.
This contribution, rather than a physical place or organization, is rather an urban legend told by the people of Ralston that connects to their history. It is unknown when this story emerged exactly however it is theorized to date back at least a few decades.
The story essentially goes that if you wander too far into the woods between the main city area, and the few buildings along the eastern side of the island such as North point lighthouse, you will find a small rundown cabin. The story tells that this cabin was made as an isolated sickhouse, where the sick of the various early communities during the 1700’s went away from society to avoid spreading the disease. Most of these people would never see the outside world again and would die alone in the woods. Rumors say that the ghosts of those who died, including two of Angus Ralston’s children died there, and that they would infect and torment any who disturbed them.
This story is almost certainly false, as historical evidence suggests that no such place exists and the Ralston’s children died elsewhere. However, the story still persists. It was first documented in the mid 90’s as a bedtime story, though it is believed to be slightly older. It was told to children warning them not to go out into the woods alone outside the city and stay in the safety of Ralston. Earlier tellings of the tale were more innocent, however as more and more people heard it it began to adapt and become more disturbing. Young children, eager for a thrill and something different than the family friendly nature of Ralston would head out into the woods in search of this cabin. However when the concept really took off was in the early 2010 with the rise of online creepy pastas (short horror stories that grow and adapt online). Many who grew up with this story as kids were now online and communicating the legend to those outside the on the early internet. With the Online Disinhibition Effect people were a lot freer to speak their mind of the early internet, so people said things far weirder than in real life, with the legend warping even further. Residents would post supposed encounters they had with the ghosts of Ralston’s children, most of which were just blurry videos with weird lighting and no ghosts.
However when the story became a true phenomenon and blew up exponentially was after an abandoned shed was in fact found in the woods. This was later confirmed to have nothing to do with the legend at all and was just the homestead of an old farmer from the 1800’s who died with no children leaving little record behind. Regardless of that fact many flocked to the cabin, and early youtube and internet videos were filmed there. Even a few online creators obsessed with the trend of internet horror would travel from nearby communities to take a look at the supposedly haunted house. The city council was always unamused by this, however once people began to vandalize the house, spray painting demonic symbols on the walls, and putting fake blood on the abandoned sheets, the town strictly forbade anyone from going there and vandalizing it. This was barely enforced however and many continued. Despite the initial hype eventually people got tired and the internet craze subsided, and the house was left largely forgotten as people moved on.
This was until early 2020 when the Covid Pandemic hit. Many residents who were kids at the time of the craze surrounding the cursed sick house, remember it now that they were suffering under a plague of their own. Memes began to circulate online about how the ghosts of the Ralston pandemic were spreading the plague as revenge for the people who intruded on their home and land. These were not taken particularly seriously however it was still a brief rumor in the town brought about by the early pandemic.
This is where things remain to this day. The house still remains, now slightly graffitied in the woods largely forgotten. The tale is still told from time to time, a legend which had survived three generations, enchanting kids who would later reminisce and get another wave of kids entranced in the mystery. The idea provides something alluring and dangerous to the children of Ralston, something that is so different from the coddled kid friendly nature of the town that it draws them in. Though it is easy as an adult to dismiss the story as fake, through the eyes of a child it may seem all too real, and enchant them to go into those empty woods where they were always warned not to go.
I want to build a climbing gym in the city of Ralson zone 2. The reason why I think this would be beneficial is that rock climbing is a great way to get exercise. The second reason is that a Rock climbing gym would also be a great contact community zone. In addition to this, we can set up groups to educate people about proper trail maintenance and educate people about why nature should be protected. The rock gym would also improve the mental health of the community and teach people to confront their fears and work through them. I feel this will make the bond between community members stronger and make them feel more empowered.
Ralston has many special attributes that help it stand out from the rest of land-ridden Vermont. It’s hard when major city Burlington has everything people need; not many come looking to Ralston for what’s missing. However, with this new proposal, many in Ralston will find people from all over Vermont flocking to what we can now call one of our crown jewels.
Ralston Public Museum was an idea born by a couple who have been long-time residents of Ralston. Nicola Duffy and her partner, Malcolm McCormick, who were both born and raised here in Ralston, found themselves digging in their backyard one summer day, looking to make their own garden. After breaking through a hard layer of clay, Malcolm found a bone. This bone belonged to Plesiosaur Tatenectes, an underwater dinosaur from the late Jurassic period. Malcolm, a historian, contacted some of his archeologist friends over at a local college, UVM. A team of archaeologists helped McCormick and Duffy dig up the rest of the fossil. Since Malcolm was friends with the archaeologist, they applied for a permit to keep the bones and use them to create a museum here in Ralston. With the help of his partner, Nicola, they came up with the layout, design, and story for the museum. This public museum would follow the history of Vermont all the way from the Paleozoic era, to the Mesozoic era (when the plesiosaur tatenectes were alive), to the Cenozoic era (now). The museum would walk the visitors through these eras, each exhibit leading into another. The Paleozoic area would take you through the coral reefs that once covered what is now Vermont. With fossils of trilobites, arthropods, stromatoporoids, and of course corals. It’s important to note that much of Vermont’s prehistoric history was underwater until the Cretaceous period, which occurred at the end of the Mesozoic era, that pulled what is now the Green Mountains from the sea. The Mesozoic era, however, will not start with the end, instead, it will start with the Triassic period and the Jurassic period which will contain the newly found fossil of the plesiosaur tatenectes. Going through how these creatures lived with the seascape covering the walls so it feels like you are there too. Then the Cretaceous period will walk you through extinction and the formation of some of Vermont’s landscape. Of course, the Mesozoic era has to end, but this will lead into the Cenozoic era. In this section of the museum, you will be walked through the formation of the physical landscape of what we now know and love to be Vermont. There will then be a large portion dedicated to the history of the Abenaki, the indigenous people of Vermont. In collaboration with the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, this large section will walk you through how they lived their lives while surrounded by their buildings, community setup, and tools. There will be a part of this section talking about and showing the First Abenaki War and the subsequent migration to what is now Canada, as many were forced out by the French. The section will end with how the Abenaki people are living now in Vermont. The next section will focus on Vermont’s history in the USA and how people live here now. The museum will then lead you to our gift shop, full of fun knick nacks, toys, art, and Vermont maple syrup, which is made here in Ralston!
Ralston Public Museum is planned to go in Ward 1, right next to Route 20 and the Community Garden. Not only will this bring many people from all over Vermont to Ralston, but this museum will also add so much to the community. This museum will add to the heart and soul attributes of our community as it will bring many people closer together and add so much to our schools’ curriculum as the museum is planning on allowing free tours for Ralston’s public schools only! This museum will also bring jobs into our community and revenue into Ward 1, which desperately needs more funding and community spaces. This museum will also be a great contact zone as many will be faced with the history of the Abenaki and what happened to them.
Our goal is to make sure this museum is the furthest thing from white-centered as we want everyone’s voice and stories to be heard. There will also be a bus stop right outside the museum to ensure everyone is able to visit. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for kids.
To contribute to the community of Ralston, I would propose expanding upon the Nature Center and Hiking trails to include more appeal and activities. This would come in the form of combining multiple other proposals all into one. There were proposals for community gardens, which should be implemented in multiple sections of town, but would be an easy addition to the nature center. The Nature Center can serve as the office space and information center for the nature preserve, with additional services being run around the park. Including areas in the park that could be used for a summer day-camp would create a new contact zone for children, and combine the built environment with the natural environment. This contact zone can assist with childhood development as it encourages children to play and emphasize with one another (Pratt 2005). This could be as simple as building some pavilions near a mowed field with public bathrooms within walking distance. The camp could utilize the hiking trails and work to teach children about local ecosystems and how to help maintain the natural biodiversity. The mowed field would give children a space to run and play active games, whereas the pavilions could be used for meals, free time, and guided activities (crafts, journaling, short lessons, etc.).
An educational building could also be vital for rainy days, younger ages, or days where the heat is too much for children. The building could contain a small kitchen, bathrooms with showers, and an open space that can be utilized for a plethora of activities. It can also serve as storage and contain more natural artifacts like animal skeletons, preserved plants, and educational information that may not be available in the nature center due to supervision issues. It would also be vital with preschool age kids to serve as the daycare when outdoor time is not possible. You could even include public art exhibits within a section of trails to encourage community visitation as well as support local artists and the arts.
I would like to add a family outdoor skating rink to the town of Ralston. Its location would be in the Old Meadow Park in Ward 3. People would be able to gather and experience outdoor ice skating right in their own backyard. In the spring, summer, and fall, people could roller skate, take lessons, and boogie down during open skate. This beautiful facility could offer the town and residents a lot of exercise and entertainment year round including open skating, rink rentals, and skating lessons. I see the skating rink as a great contact zone for the residents of Ralston. The family skating rink would encourage another way for residents to build relationships and friendships within the community in a safe, healthy environment. It would also help generate revenue as well. Weekend evening s’more bonfires would be a fun social element to add to the rinks’ offerings. Ideally, there would also be a restaurant/snack bar area on site for people to enjoy hot chocolate, light fare, snacks, and sweets.
One of the heart and soul attributes of Ralston is that it’s on an island, giving it its own unique landscape and geographical character. For my community contribution, I plan to utilize this aspect of Ralston to the fullest by installing a fishing pier. I plan for this pier to be installed right outside the canal gardens in Ward 1. This location will make it easy for both residents and tourists to see when crossing over the bridge to Ralston, so it should be easy for it to catch people’s interest. At the foot of the pier, there will be a stand where people who don’t have their own fishing rod can rent or buy one, giving the opportunity for everyone to participate. There will be a list at the end of the pier giving patrons the types of fish that can be found in the lake, as well as basic details such as size and rarity. A few times a year, there will be contests on who can catch the most fish or biggest fish. Hopefully this project will help bring residents and tourists together, as well as bring some much-needed attention to ward 1.
In our beautiful town of Ralston we have many beautiful buildings, but every town has an abandoned building or two. Sadly in a corner of Ward 1, there is one of these abandoned buildings. Everyone who has the pleasure of living in here has most certainly seen the sad theater, now dark and empty. As time goes on damage and infamy of the theater will only grow, this is where my proposition comes in. I want to take care of the eyesore on the skyline of our stunning town. Take it from a burden on Ward 1 and all of Ralston to a place where we can all collect. Hopefully, this will also bring more business and bustling to a struggling part of town.
What I am looking for is some funding for some of the more important renovations. I have other backers taking care of some of the business expenses but the renovation and clean-up is the highest expense and therefore requires the most support.
Without the support and with some luck, I might still be able to continue the renovation. This less expensive renovation would not be able to preserve the current architecture of the theater, which is a priority for me and many of my supporters. Though the theater is not going to change the heart and soul of the town I do believe that it can bring back a small pleasure to our lovely community.
The Ralston Art Museum would be located Ward 2 nestled with most of the other popular attractions in that area. This would be a great addition to the area and would be a very influential contact zone. The museum would showcase local artists and artisans from Ralston. It would also have installations from all over the world, bringing the world to transition. This would intersect cultures and cause them to meet, and grapple with each other. Art is universal and has brought people together for ages. It showcases the world in a multitude of mediums. Ralston is strongly centered around its individuality and artisans, this Museum would showcase these values and give the citizens a center of the exhibition. The community could be showcased alongside world-renowned artists and bring publicity to local artist. Museums draw visitors year-round and with frequent exhibit rotations, the community would always have something new to enjoy. Anyone can come and view the installations which means that there is an intersection between all the people of Ralston. No one is excluded from art and community members have chances to be featured. The building itself has a more traditional shape to match the small-town feel of Ralston but with a minimal and contemporary feel. The architecture fades into the surroundings but stands out and clearly states “art lives here.” It may seem to stick out but the building itself is a piece of art and is there to be enjoyed and draw attention. Artisans are at the center of Ralston’s community and they should be showcased.
Ralston, Vermont's "Green Island" City 