Circus Smirkus plans to break ground for Greensboro Camp early in July
The proposal to build a children’s camp on the Sig Lonegren property on Breezy Lane is close to passing its last hurdle. Once the Act 250 ruling by the state is received, the project will be fully ready to proceed.
Circus Smirkus floated its idea to purchase the Greensboro property for its camp in 2013, and spent significant time developing architectural plans, fundraising among its supporters, and informing various Greensboro constituencies. Following significant deliberation by the Greensboro Planning Commission, the project was approved in June 2013.
In August 2013, two groups filed opposition to the camp plan with the State of Vermont, contending that the plan should not have been approved by Greensboro as it altered the character of the town. As of the Act 250 hearing in February 2014, all opposition by both the abutters to the Lonegren property and by other summer community property owners had been withdrawn.
Closing on the Lonegren property took place on April 16. Contractor site visits and bid meetings took place the first week in April, and construction is planned to begin on July 1, 2014. The camp will open in summer 2015.
The camp will not affect the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour program, which will continue to present shows at the Circus Barn on Circus Road in Greensboro. The 2014 Big Top Tour “Anchors Away for Atlantis” will present shows in Greensboro on June 29 at 1pm and 6pm, on August 15 at 6pm, and on August 16 at 1pm and 6pm.
Further information on the camp and how to get Big Top Tour tickets is available on the Circus Smirkus website at smirkus.org.