Green Mountain Transit is removing the bus shelter in front of the Fletcher Free Library on College Street at the request of the library. The transit company said they will be removing the covered shelter and bench July 24, but the stop will still be operational on the bus line.

Green Mountain Transit General Manager Clayton Clark said the library requested the removal due to the covered stop “being used by folks without housing that have caused disruptions in the area.” On June 13, the station was wrapped in yellow caution tape and no trespassing signs. Early the next day, the caution tape was seemingly ripped and hanging limp on the ground.

As a free public space, the library has had previous issues with safety and drug use on their property. Library Director Mary Danko said that it saddens her greatly to ask to have that the shelter be removed, but the proximity of the stop to their property causes issues.

“What is occurring there is drug use, and we work hard to keep the library space, both inside and outside, substance free,” Danko said. She said a lot of people who come to the library may potentially be in recovery, even staff, so having a substance free space is important.

The staff can say something to individuals when drug use is occurring on their property, but the shelter falls on city land. Danko said the spillover is inevitable. She hopes the removal will deter drug use so close to Fletcher Free Library and said this isn’t a decision they wanted to make, and as a supporter of public transit, she’d like to bring it back eventually.

“We’re always trying to be kind and compassionate and we want people here using the library and public transportation, but the shelter isn’t being used as part of transportation,” Danka said. “People are in the grips of addiction that we’ve never seen before.”

Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Safety concerns lead to removal of bus shelter on College Street