Clapp Park Receives Grant for Upgrades

According to iBerkshires.com, the City of Pittsfield has received $400,000 from the State to renovate Clapp Park, as part of $6.3 million dollars in grants that will be spread throughout the commonwealth for park improvement projects.  The city plans to combine that with over $180,000 donated by The Rotary Club of Pittsfield, and another $30,000 from the Buddy Pellerin Committee, for major upgrades including a splash pad and making the park more handicapped friendly.

I personally could not be more excited about this. Having a free, safe, accessible place for youth and families to be active is critical to the growth and safety of Pittsfield's youth.  It will be great to see an already popular park get the upgrades it deserves and needs.

The Pellerin Committee has done an amazing job getting the ball rolling, I was happy to see the Pittsfield High's baseball team utilizing and the new scoreboard, fencing and foul poles as I drove by every day on the way home from work. Truly an honor to late PHS coaching legend Buddy Pellerin. According to the article, the new state funds with work towards completing the next phases of the project, rumored to include and lights and new sound system. Night games are such a fun part of youth sports, and I'd love to see them at the park. Plus a new sound system would be an awesome addition to the Friday night outdoor movie series that calls Clapp home.

Let's talk splash pad! The hill at Clapp park can be seen flooded with families sledding in the snowy months, how fantastic would it be to see the same, and hopefully new families utilizing the west side park in the summer months as well. If you've ever driven by the new renovated Common on First Street on a hot summer day, the splash pad is packed with kids cooling off, laughing and playing.

It would be tremendous to see the success The Common has seen, echoed at the west side park, and the best part is, thanks to hard work and generosity of The Pellerin Committee and Rotary of Pittsfield, combined with the incoming grant money, this will all by completed without any of the city's already tight budget. What are great way to honor the parks centennial, which will be celebrated in 2019.