About
The Essex Junction Recreation Department, located at 75 Maple St, Essex Junction, VT, manages a wide array of recreational programs and facilities for all ages and abilities. It oversees the Village's parks, open spaces, and facilities, offering diverse activities such as sports leagues, fitness classes, summer camps, and special events. Key facilities include numerous parks, the multi-purpose Cairns Arena (an ice rink), and Maple Street Park, which features an outdoor swimming pool and splash pad.
The Essex Junction Recreation Department manages the outdoor public pool at Maple Street Park. While the pool includes lap lanes, a shallow end, a slide, and a separate splash pad, the specific temperature of the pool is not publicly disclosed on the department's official website or associated pages.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? The reviews present a mixed, yet predominantly critical, view of facilities, primarily focusing on Essex Junction Recreation & Parks (ejrp) and related services. Several highly negative reviews detail serious concerns: one describes unprofessional preschool teachers gossiping in a public park and complaining about children interacting with their students. Another, extensively detailed, accuses ejrp and the state of Vermont of systemic racism, citing instances where a Black mother and her mixed-race children were allegedly treated unfairly, kicked out of school programs, and denied access to the city's pool due to race, despite a supposed payment issue. This reviewer strongly advises other Black and mixed-race families against moving to Essex. A third negative review criticizes the pool's overly strict rules, which prohibit items like mermaid tails, diving rings, goggles, and most flotation devices, diminishing the recreational experience. Conversely, some reviews praise the Essex Junction park facilities, describing them as large, well-maintained, and offering numerous amenities such as pavilions, grills, diverse playgrounds, a skate park, bike paths, public bathrooms, and a pool with a waterslide and diving boards, highlighting its suitability for children and overall upkeep.
Location
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Amenities
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Accepts Credit Cards
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Accessible Entrance
Reviews
Listing Reviews
May 30th, 2025Jade McGillis
All the teachers from the preschool stand around talking trash about everyone else in the PUBLIC PARK. Maybe build your own playground if you don’t want children interacting with your students, again in a PUBLIC PARK.
July 19th, 2024Bianca Walton
If I could give this place no stars, I would. But let's just start by saying that Vermont has got to be one of the most racist states I've ever been to in my life and I have been to probably about 30 of the 50 states in the United States of America. In this review I will do my best to be fair on both my end and ejrp because that's just who I am, I'm non confrontational and I'm a lover at heart. I'm a people person and most of the time I'm fair honest truthful and respectful. So my children and I have dealt with ejrp for a number of years while living here in Vermont and while it hasn't been the best, it's been somewhat a roller coaster of racial exhaustion for both me and my kids. I want to make this review about ejrp so that people who are of a particular race or who have kids that are of a certain race will know that them or their children will be treated unfairly. My kids have been treated unfairly they have been kicked out of school programs and now they are not allowed to attend the citywide pool Essex pool. Me and my kids work with a organization that was providing us with a pool pass and they were given the run around for 2 weeks. First they were told that we were not residents and we are then they were told that they had to speak to a spacific person and wait for a call back that took a few days and now they are being told that we can not attend the citywide pool run by ejrp that we can not attend because of some payment issue in the past. I told the person who I will not name because of who they are, that that's not the reason. The reason is because they are racist. Because if that was the reason they would have allowed the payment to be cleared and I can guarantee it's not much. It's not a payment issue it's a race issue it's a color issue in which I knew all to well because my kid would tell me how they were treated unfairly. Both my kids went through nothing but agony from these people. The things we have been through in this state u wouldn't believe but I'm currently working on a couple books on my experiences here with not only the civilians but also the professional people that make up Vermont including schools public health official's rental officials enforcement agencies convenient stores etc. If u are black or have mixed children, Vermont is not the place for u. This place is a nightmare and some stuff u would have to see with your own 2 eyes. They steal African American children and place them with Caucasian families, not even given the family a chance to get the children. I'm glad that people we work with see the things and experience the nonsense we go through because it's heartbreaking in totality. Ejrp has not only been unfair but they have been biased against multiple families of color on multiple occasions. There are people who told me that they were done the same exact way by ejrp. Vermont is one of those small towns that u see on lifetime and if I didn't live here and experience so much racism, I wouldn't believe it. I tried contacting ejrp a number of times in the past and I was ignored. I tried going to the organization and speak to higher ups and I was told that the person isn't available. It's been a few years since my kid has been to the after school program but I will never send my kids back there as long as it's ran by ejrp, who kicks a 3rd or 4th grader out of after school programs without having any meetings or anything. Ejrp! Who denies a child to the ONE and only pool that the town has, Ejrp! I've lived here for over 20 years and my kids have always gone to school here, their are no African American teachers. Their are no African American officials at ejrp, there are no African American academics and 9/10 all of our African American students are on IEP's. So don't bring your African American children to Essex, it's something I regret each and everyday!
August 2nd, 2019Tamara Vando
This place is rediculous. I mean I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering it's Essex. the town of rediculous rules. I am a very experienced swimmer and can float so I'm basically incapable of drowning. I brought my mermaid tail to wow the children and the stupid lifeguard had to be a kill joy and ruin the magic by making me not use it. I am highly experienced using this as well. This place doesn't allow diving rings, goggles, snorkels, any kind of flotation device besides perhaps a life jacket. It's pathetic. If I wanted to just spend time in a vat of water and do nothing I would sit in my bath tub. Pathetic. Don't waste your money to come here. If you really wanna go get in with a friends pass so you don't pay for disappointment.
June 3rd, 2018Scott Robare
Essex Junction keeps a large, well maintained public park. Multiple pavilions that can be reserved for parties. Permanent charcoal grills. Multiple jungle gyms for the children of all ages with swings. A skate park for skate boarders, scooters, blades, and bikes. Two bike paths for bmx/ mountain bikes. Public bathrooms. Public pool (summer passes get early access) with a kids and adult pool, waterslide, two diving boards, and changing rooms and bathrooms. There is a snack bar with the basics... popcorn, chips, candy, water, soft drinks, etc.
May 13th, 2023Chelsea Russell
This park is well- kept and so many fields and structure for the kids.
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
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