Category Archives: Odds & Ends

Stories that deal with a misc. assortment of topics

Linda Plater Meadows in front of Bricklyn arboretum

New Bricklyn Arboretum Offers Residents & Visitors Spot to Relax

January 3, 2024

by Dave Plater Blue, Metro Desk Reporter

Catching up on some news from this past Summer (while The Bricklyn Eagle was closed due to the Newspaper Guild strike), the Broffman Arboretum opened its’ doors to the public at the end of June. Here’s our report.

Located adjacent to Bricklyn’s Downtown North Station, the Broffman Arboretum is the fruit of several years’ work by the Realm of Bricklyn Gardeners Association (RBGA) and the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce, supported by funding from the 2022 Downtown Bricklyn Improvement Bond Issue and a generous donation by Dave Tiler Broffman, CEO of Dunk Them Donuts, of the lot on which the arboretum was built.

Linda Plater Meadows, with blue vest standing by trackside entrance to the arboretum.

Linda Plater Meadows, President of the RBGA, told us that the new Broffman Arboretum “will provide a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environment for both residents and visitors to Bricklyn,” while noting that “green spaces have been linked to mental health benefits, stress reduction, and overall well-being.”

“RBGA members,” Meadows added, “have signed up to volunteer as hosts at the arboretum, and look forward to answering visitors’ questions.”

Meadows also expressed appreciation to Planning Chief Tim Brickedy for helping shepherd through zoning changes that authorized the arboretum to be built on the site of the parking lot adjoining the west end of the train station, while also eliminating setbacks from the station. In unanimously approving the proposed zoning changes, the Federal Council found that the benefits of having the arboretum far outweighed the loss of ten parking spaces.

Dave Tiler Broffman, donut in hand and in racing attire, opposite the new arboretum. Broffman generously donated the downtown parking lot site his company owned as the site of the new arboretum.

Tom Brickorti, head of the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce, praised the arboretum, pointed to the “delight visitors arriving in Bricklyn will have in finding a green, restful spot adjoining the train station.”

Brickorti also thanked Dave Tiler Broffman for “helping turn the Chamber’s and Gardeners Association’s dreams into reality.” As Brickorti said to us with a smile, “folks buying a donut and cup of coffee from the Dunk Them Donuts shop inside the train station can now dunk their donuts while sitting under the shady trees of the Broffman Arboretum.” ✥

We welcome Letters to the Editor. Please email to: bricklynvt@gmail.com

South Bricklyn Dog Park

South Bricklyn Dog Park Opens

Rowlf the Dog Emcees Opening Day Ceremony

Bricklyn Eagle Masthead

October 7, 2023

by David Plater Blue, Metro Desk Reporter

Opening day at the South Bricklyn dog park. Back row from left to right: Bill B. Butler (Federal Councilor), Rowlf the Dog, Janet Tiler Johnson (President of PawPlay), and Hilma Plater-Zybrick (Federal Council President). In front with brown hair: dog trainer Peggy B. Williams.

On Monday, April 10th, the South Bricklyn Dog Park opened its gate to a crowd of dogs and their people. South Bricklynites were honored by the presence of legendary Muppet star, Rowlf the Dog, who emceed the event.

Rowlf also pleased those attending by reading — to many woofs of delight — doggerel penned for the occasion by Bricklyn’s aspiring poet (and Editor of this newspaper), Walt Brickman.

South Bricklyn Federal Council Representative Bill B. Butler applauded the efforts of PawPlay, the citizens group behind the multi-year effort to open South Bricklyn’s first dog park. As Butler said, “PawPlay’s members opened my eyes to see that our dogs deserved a safe place of their own to meet up, get to know each other, and just have some dog-gone fun.” Butler also thanked the volunteers at PawPlay “who kept the cost of the park down by helping with fencing the site and installing some of the play equipment.”

Bricklyn horse riders look on at Dog Park opening ceremony. Some of the circular play equipment donated by Tiler Broffman can be seen.

Reporter’s note: The South Bricklyn dog park is just one of several new projects in South Bricklyn which we will be reporting on in the coming weeks.

Janet Tiler Johnson, President of PawPlay, gave kudos to the citizens of South Bricklyn for their support in calling on the Federal Council to provide 700 CuDos to cover the cost of purchasing the land used for the park.

The play equipment was donated by Dave Tiler Broffman, CEO of Dunk Them Donuts, the Bricklyn-based donut distribution company. The nearby Dunk Them Donuts shop is expected to be kept busy providing coffee and donuts to dog owners watching their pooches at play! ✥

Photo from Bricklyn Eagle archives of Dave Tiler Broffman in his BrickCoupe.

We welcome Letters to the Editor. Please email to: bricklynvt@gmail.com

Brickstar rail service connects downtown Bricklyn and South Bricklyn.

Looking Back at 2022 and Forward to 2023

January 9, 2023

Bricklyn Eagle masthead
Homer Simpson taken in for booking for donut theft.
Homer Simpson taken in for booking for donut theft.

Looking Back at 2022:

1) The opening of Bricklyn’s first police station, needed due to a sharp uptick in the high misdemeanor of donut theft. This news photos show the first alleged thief (aka Homer Simpson) being led into the police station for booking for theft of donuts just minutes after the station opened. Fyi: Just why are the Simpsons in Bricklyn, see FAQ Question #5.

2) The opening of “Le Bricklyn,” a new 4-star French-style Hotel that the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce believes will lead to a surge in visitors from Continental inland and outland communities.

Le Bricklyn Hotel
Le Bricklyn Hotel

Future plans for the hotel include a gourmet restaurant that will test the loyalty of the regulars at TJ’s Streetcar Café (visible in the Brickstar photo below).

Brickstar rail service connects downtown Bricklyn and South Bricklyn.
New Brickstar train enroute from Bricklyn’s North Station to South Bricklyn. Bicyclists visible on bike-ped path, also heading to South Bricklyn. ew Brickstar train enroute from Bricklyn’s North Station to South Bricklyn. Bicyclists visible on bike-ped path, also heading to South Bricklyn.

In a clever ploy, Brick Rail has even equipped the new rail cars with bike racks, enticing cyclists to also ride the train. Unfortunately, the higher speeds also mean there will not be enough time to eat even a single donut (and who can really eat just one donut) unless you stay on the Brickstar for quite a few roundtrip loops! Bricktrak has promised the availability of multi-loop roundtrip tickets.

4) Completion of the FOB Memorial Lighthouse at the entrance to Bricklyn Harbor (see photo on following page). The Memorial Bridge was constructed on a fast-track, emergency basis after the tragic sinking of the New Panabrick class container ship “Full of Bricks.”

The FOB foundered on shoals near the harbor entrance on the night of 29 March 2019 during a late Winter East-Norther. A Court of Inquiry found the City of Bricklyn and the administration of YMK Spiro Brickburger negligent in promoting the City’s harbor to New Panabrick class container ships before having a harbor lighthouse in place. Using the above link (then Question 5) for more on YMK Brickburger.

Rendering of the the New Panabrick class container ship “Full of Bricks” as it ran aground before entering Bricklyn Bay during the fierce storm of 29 March 2019. credit: Dall-E3.

Looking Forward to 2023:

The entire community will be celebrating the opening this month of the Tripartite Realm of Bricklyn’s Archives building. It will have a distinctive mimetic architectural design. There will be a special installation event during which several of Bricklyn’s founding documents will be placed inside the Archives, finally offering them a waterproof, safe location (and by “safe” we really mean “safe”).

Rowlf the Dog will host the ribbon cutting ceremony for Bricklyn's first dog park!
Rowlf the Dog

We are also eagerly anticipating the opening in early 2023 of the unique Space Flight Park — featuring a BASA BrickR-4 rocket — in the heart of downtown, as well as the much in-demand South Bricklyn Dog Park. Muppet celebrity Rowlf the Dog is expected to host the ribbon ripping ceremony! Watch for coverage of both openings in The Bricklyn Eagle.

Also on the horizon is the opening of “Jazz by the Yard,” a jazz club to be located by the railyard. We’ll be looking forward to cool jazz and hot train engines!

We hope to have you visit Bricklyn in 2023! — and feel free to let family or friends know about visiting Bricklyn, or following us at: BricklynVT.com