Town of Colchester Vermont to Vote on Proposed Purchase of Camp Holy Cross Property

    BURLINGTON, VT, September 24, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On October 4, 2011, residents of Colchester, Vermont will have an opportunity to vote on the purchase of the Camp Holy Cross property on the shores of Lake Champlain on Malletts Bay, for Town public use. The 26-acre property is being sold by the Catholic Diocese of Burlington, and includes several outbuildings and cabins, a chapel, and approximately 975 feet of prime sandy beach.

The Diocese will sell the camp to the Town of Colchester for $4.5 million. The purchase would be financed through the issuance of a bond. There are no immediate plans to change the usage of the land and facility, under Act 250. Town resident use of the facility would be in keeping with past and current practices: beach use, fishing, camping, boating, use of the chapel for weddings and ceremonies, community meetings, community events, and winter recreation including ice fishing and snowmobiling.

In an effort to develop a series of options for future use of the site, the Town of Colchester and its residents have established the Camp Holy Cross Vision Committee. The committee is working to develop a series of viable public use options for the Camp property, which will be presented to the Colchester Selectboard during the group's Sept. 27 meeting.

The Town will also host an open house event on Sunday, September 25, to provide residents of Colchester an opportunity to tour the Camp Holy Cross property. The open house is scheduled from noon until 5 pm.

In an effort to inform Colchester residents on the facts and details of this potential acquisition, Town officials have created social media channels through which they are disseminating information. These channels include a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/voteoncampholycross), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/voteonchc) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/VoteOnCampHolyCross), to which will be posted a variety of informative videos and virtual tours. Residents will able to exchange information and discuss their views on the topic through these channels. More information is also available through the Town of Colchester website at www.colchestervt.gov.

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