Parks and Recreation Facilities

The Town of Manchester owns three distinct parks. The Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park, named in honor of Police Chief Dana L. Thompson who was killed in the line of duty in 1973, is located off of Bonnet Street at 340 Recreation Park Road. The Park includes more than 88 acres of land, a large swimming pool and kiddie pool, Applejack Field (a professional-grade lighted athletic field with a historic grandstand), several baseball diamonds and athletic fields fields, three playgrounds for kids of all ages, one mile walking path, a dog park that is owned and operated by the Manchester Dog Park, a not-for-profit organization, and a skateboard park. Most of the land was generously donated to the Town of Manchester by the Manchester Rod and Gun Club. A trail in the northeast corner of the Park leads to Riley Rink. The Park is open sunrise to sunset.

The swimming pool at the Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park typically opens around the middle of June and closes around Labor Day. Hours of operation are typically as follows:

Open swim is for all ages. Adult Lap is for swimmers 16 and over interested in swimming laps. The Kiddie Pool is open from 8:00 to 10:00 AM for children under 6 years of age. For more details about the pool and its schedule please call (802) 362-1439.

The Town also owns and maintains the Factory Point Town Green, located in the heart of Manchester on Depot Street near the intersection with Main Street.  The park hosts the summer concert series, organized by the Manchester and Mountains Chamber of Commerce. The nearby dam and waterfall provides for perfect setting for sitting on the grass and enjoying the sun or throwing a frisbee with friends. The Town Green was donated to the Town of Manchester by the Manchester Conservation Commission. The Town Green is open sunrise to sunset.

The third, and smallest park, is Adams Park, named for long time resident Harry Adams.  The Park is located at the intersection of Main Street and Center Hill Road, just north of the downtown area. It is a terrific location for a family picnic. Adams Park is open sunrise to sunset.

In the Fall of 2008 the Selectboard created the Town's first bike route, a 5.6 mile loop, and named it Wendy's Way after Wendall (Wendy) Cram in recognition of his service to his country and passion for physical fitness. Wendy is an avid biker and a former member of the 1940 Olympic Ski Team, but did not compete because of the Second World War. Instead he served in the 10th Mountain Division as a skiing soldier. A dedication sign was erected by the Town on North Road. View a map of Wendy's Way.