Wahconah Park Demolition Is Underway, But Don’t Expect Big Changes Yet

If you've driven past Wahconah Park lately and wondered why the old grandstand is still standing, Parks and Open Space Manager Jim McGrath has an explanation.

"The project to demolish the current Wahconah Park grandstand has been initiated," McGrath said, "but it may be several weeks before the community actually sees substantial progress."

McGrath says the contractor is on site and working through the early administrative stages of what is a large, complex project. That includes pulling the appropriate city permits and making sure all utilities to the building are properly disconnected before any physical work begins.

When hands-on demolition does get underway, the first phase will be the removal of hazardous materials throughout the structure. McGrath notes that this is highly regulated work, overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection, and it has to be done carefully before anything else can happen.

Once that is complete, the grandstand will come down in phases, including the ironwork, until the entire structure is gone. Then the site will be cleaned up and the contractor will wrap up.

Here is the big picture: The Pittsfield Suns are expected to return to Wahconah Park this season after a two-year hiatus, with provisions being made to allow baseball to be played on site even before the new grandstand is complete. The new grandstand design has been scaled back to an approximately $15 million project, down from an earlier $30 million estimate, with a "less is more" approach focused on long-term sustainability. This is still pending city council approval via a vote.

Baseball has been played at the Wahconah Park site since 1892, with the grandstand dating to 1919 and a major upgrade in 1950. The demolition cost alone is $875,000.