SVHC and Town of Bennington Make Agreement for SVC Fields

BENNINGTON, VT—April 2, 2021—Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has finalized an agreement with the Town of Bennington for the use and maintenance of playing fields at the former Southern Vermont College (SVC) campus. The agreement covers the soccer and baseball fields, and is expected to remain in effect until at least December 1, 2021, when it will be reviewed by both parties.

“This is the beginning of what we envisioned when acquiring the property,” said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, SVHC’s president and CEO. “We are pleased to be working together with the town and making this valuable asset available to the community. It’s a win-win.”

Under the agreement, the Town of Bennington’s Buildings & Grounds Department will be responsible for assessing the fields, bleachers, and other structures; mowing and trimming; preparing the fields for play; providing trash collection; and contracting and portable toilets. In addition, the town will insure the fields covered under the agreement.

The town will also schedule the fields using the current Town of Bennington Field Use Request forms and procedures.

“With very little additional investment, we are able to make a new civic space available to the people of Bennington,” said Assistant Town Manager and Planning Director Dan Monks. “SVHC is a great partner, and we are happy to lend a hand in this way.”

Additionally, Southwestern Vermont Health Care has signed an agreement with the Bennington County Regional Commission to assist the health system in developing a master plan for potential long-term development of the campus property.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. It has also received the highest marks possible from the Leapfrog Group. 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.