With the recent addition of a public amphitheater, the citizens of Ralston have shown desire for a public space where bands, dances groups, etc. can gather and practice. In response to those requests, we would like to present the Ralston Public Music Studio.
This new facility, open 8 AM – 10 PM, Tuesday through Sunday, will give the public an opportunity to meet in a public space and utilize community owned resources. Practice dance in the state of the art dance studio, or hold small group band rehearsals using our state-of-the-art instruments and equipment. The studio will also sponsor a number of public, weekly events, as well. Please be aware of the schedule when utilizing the studio.
● Tuesdays, 3PM – 5PM: Public Yoga ● Thursdays, 6 PM – 10 PM: Ralston Recreational Club Social (Arts & Crafts, Activities, and More) ● Saturday, 11 AM – 2PM: Ralston Community Band Rehearsal
We would like to extend our deepest thanks to the groups who made the funding and construction of this studio possible.
There’s an old legend about the forestry of Ralston, and why the locals are so protective of the remaining forestry today. Back when settlers first started colonizing the land, they chopped down trees left and right to make room for the growing colony. However, as they chopped down more and more trees, strange accidents began occurring. Suddenly the loggers found numerous accidents and deaths caused by fallen trees, some of which were natural without even an axe nick on them! Not only that, but many of the buildings where the trees once stood found themselves overtaken by vines, wild grass, and other flora rapidly growing on them. Eventually because of all the accidents, the community of Ralston decided to stop cutting any deeper into the forests, finding that once they stopped, the accidents and flora growth dropped off soon after. Since then, the remaining forestry stayed untouched and preserved, with fear of greater consequences should the deforestation ever resume.
The new Ralston Ferry Service transports citizens and tourists alike to various destinations around the Lake Champlain area. The Ralston Ferry service has routes to Essex and Plattsburgh, New York. The Ferry Port in Ralston also allows easy transportation to Burlington after the Burlington Port stopped service. Building this ferry port in Ralston gives not only easier tourist access to the town for citizens of New York, but also allows New York and Vermont citizens another point of exchange.
Many acknowledged the economic benefit of not only having the Ferry’s income directly, but also the extra income that would come in for Ralston’s local businesses, as many arriving off the ferry may stop in a Ralston local restaurant for dinner or shop at one of Ralston’s stores before continuing on their way through to the Burlington mainland. However, not all are excited about the new Ferry port constructed in the town. Residents of the more rural west in Ralston worry about their road infrastructure and vehicle noise pollution due to the heavy traffic coming from the port.
Overall, the new Ralston Ferry Service seems to be an economic prosper for the community to those who welcome New York tourists, while others believe it causes unnecessary noise and damage to a community that was already thriving on its own.
What do you believe? Is Ralston’s Ferry Service a benefit or a deficit to the community?
The Ralston town jail has become a necessary part of the island. The Jail is located on the east side, far from the populated area. The jail in recent years has held tourists who stepped out of line. Many of these tourists got too drunk on the local alcohol. The jail consists of 30 rooms that can hold 2 people each, bringing the count to a maximum population of 60 if need be, though it has never hit that number. The current warden of the jail believes that inmates should not be punished too hard. Because of this belief, the jail has more in common with the jails in Sweden than with the rest of the United States of America. The jail has a 9-star rating with many inmates wishing they could return compared to the Burlington jail. Currently, with the local murder on the streets, this is the place that he or she will end up spending the rest of their life.
Personally, I cannot think of a better place to live out your life sentence.
The Ralston Public Dock is located along the northern coastline of the island, in Ward 3. It is a wooden dock, maintained by a singular carpenter contracted by the local government to watch over it. The dock has enough space for a half dozen canoes and kayaks. This equipment is free to rent, if you’re willing to go through a small amount of training by the carpenter who takes care of the place.
Ralph Isherman is the sole custodian of the dock. In a new initiative by the government to try and create public works and attract more people to the island, he was hired to build and maintain this dock. He was also given a small parcel of land to build a house upon, and he receives a monthly government stipend to both maintain his property and the dock. He has built a small shack where you can find him most days. He does a lot of moving work pro-bono, so he can also be found helping people move or set up for public events. If he’s not anywhere on the island, he’s probably on the lake, fishing. Nearly inseparable from his side is his dog, Balthazar.
He makes pretty tasty fish dishes, so if you ever end up having dinner at his shack, you’re in for a treat.
The Ralston’s middle and high school students have been enjoying the new basketball court/soccer court. They have been able to have recess during breakfast and lunch, get their energy out, and have a break from just sitting for hours in their classes. The students are making friends with different people in other classes and grades and can show leadership when playing sports. We also have sports clubs now and it is not competitive but students who are interested in joining the club are having a great time learning how to play the sport after school. Parents have noticed that their children are coming home happy and get excited to tell them about their day. Overall all the students are happy with the place to have recess and get excited when it’s almost time for lunch.
The recent addition of the Ralston Swimming Hole has given its residents an entirely new way of building their relationships in a healthy way. Funded through memberships and town funds, the location includes one deep swimming pool and one shallow swimming pool for young children. This space is meant to serve as a nice place to go with family and friends, as well as a common spot to do light activities on a daily basis. The Ralston Swimming Hole is fully indoors and has sloped windows that let daylight into the swimming area. Events are held at the swimming pool pretty frequently and the large pool is available to rent on an hourly basis for personal events. The location has a website where people are able to view whether or not an event is currently being hosted. The location also includes an indoor shower area as well as a changing area with closed off stalls for privacy. This addition to Ralston adds a new community space for residents of all ages to enjoy.
With its recent installment of smart lighting, Ralston has become a much nicer and safer place. Its streets are now well lit at darker hours, promoting better social interaction. The smart lights are also capable of changing their color temperature to match that of sunrise/sunset cycles, improving citizen health. Though the technology behind smart lighting may seem expensive and a waste of funding, The smart lights actually help to save money through their usage of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which are more energy efficient when compared to standard light bulbs. LED bulbs also last significantly longer than a standard incandescent bulb, which reduces waste made by discarded bulbs. Though residents may worry about the expanded surveillance that comes with the improved lighting, this lighting system can be used to lessen criminal activity, which makes Ralston and its citizens much safer. The smart lighting is also used to collect data on air and noise quality, and pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns, which is beneficial for urban planning purposes. Though a normal lighting system may be okay for most cities, Ralston knows that its people deserve the best.
The original way of Ralston to work was good but there was little that people could do to influence what would happen in their community, so adding the town hall and a biweekly meeting there has increased both the happiness and the willingness to participate in the local community/government. This includes writing to the elected officials or simply running for the office themselves. There have also been many small organizations that address specific needs or issues in the community like helping newcomers or just simply being there for those in 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.
Ralston, Vermont's "Green Island" City 