It's easy to sympathize with Oakledge Park visitors who recall better days when blue-green algae left Lake Champlain more or less alone. But for members of the Burlington Bocce Club, regulars on the park's recreational scene, the good times roll regardless of bacterial load.

For 15 years, the club has claimed a tract tucked behind some trees off the lower parking lot. With membership now at nearly 200 players, and the bocce courts numbering four, the Burlington Bocce Club heads into the twilight of its 2022 season at peak popularity. A pandemic can't stop it. Even pickleball — the invasive zebra mussel of athletic endeavors — doesn't stand a chance.