This project is part of an announcement that Mayor Sarno, PBRM Director Sullivan, Park Commission Chair Jennifer McQuaid, and Tina Quagliato Sullivan, Director of Disaster Recovery and Compliance, announced that they will allocate $4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support improvements to 11 neighborhood parks in All over the city.
This investment in our city’s neighborhood parks is part of Mayor Sarno’s comprehensive, comprehensive process to leverage various funding sources, including ARPA and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), to strengthen our neighborhoods. These were the combined reactions from our neighborhood councils and residents when Mayor Sarno and city officials held a citywide listening tour, meeting with more than 40 neighborhood councils and other organizations about how best to strengthen our neighborhoods and seek all available funding for these projects.
Of the $834,320 invested to renovate Calhoun Park, $119,320 in CDBG funding has been invested to install the Nancy Lieberman Basketball Court, and an additional $300,000 in CDBG funding and $415,000 in ARPA funding will be invested in renovations that will include a new accessible court and walking trail . Picnic tables, a handball court and on-site amenities. The Calhoun redevelopment will increase the park’s recreational facilities to provide recreational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Renovations to Calhoun Park will also include landscaping and tree planting.
The project is designed by GZA and GeoEnvironmental, Inc., and will be constructed by Omasta Landscaping. The public is advised that some areas of Calhoun Park may be closed during construction. The project is scheduled to be completed by October 2024.
Additional park improvement projects include:
- Adams Park: $550,000
- Barrows Park: $420,000
- Plant Park: $150,000
- Calhoun Park: $715,000
- Donna Blake Park: $250,000
- Five Mile Pond: $615,000
- Forest Park: $400,000
- Jaime Ulloa Park: $200,000
- Kenneth Park: $500,000
- Linda Petrella Park: $450,000
- Planting pine trees on Pine Street: $50,000
Mayor Sarno says, “I am proud of my administration’s efforts to not only maintain, but enhance our beautiful neighborhood parks that provide so much enjoyment and recreation for residents and their families. Growing up, my Riviera was Forest Park and Emerson White Parks. Thanks to Patrick Sullivan and his dedicated team “These selected projects will improve the quality of life in these neighborhoods. Recent grant announcements paired with these projects have resulted in more than $100 million in park renovations since I took office, and there is still more to be done. I look forward to continuing to work with councils Our neighborhoods to identify more additional park projects. I would also like to thank Director Sullivan and his team for keeping the spray pads open. Given the recent hot weather this week and the investment of spray pads in 21 locations throughout the city, I thought it was important to keep them open so our residents and families can Continuing to beat the heat.These park facilities demonstrate the importance of these projects as they serve residents throughout the different seasons and provide an important outlet for families to have quality recreational opportunity for their families.
“We are grateful for Mayor Sarno’s continued support and are very proud of the working relationship we have with the New North Citizen Council,” said Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of the DPBRM. “They have worked patiently with the Park Service over the past three years in developing this master plan for Calhoun Park and will produce What a nice park for families in this neighborhood. I would also like to thank the North End Handball Players for their contribution to this master plan. Special thanks to William and Nancy Ortiz of the New England Handball Players Association for their maintenance of these courts and their contribution to the master plan. The additional funding from ARPA is welcome news for these parks and we look forward to completing plans and getting these projects underway by late fall and through the spring season of 2024. This is a great day for Springfield Parks!
“The Parks Commission is excited about this investment in these 11 neighborhood parks,” Parks Commission Chairwoman Jennifer McQuaid said. “Our park system has seen a renaissance of improvements and the results have dramatically improved the quality of life in our neighborhoods across the city. Our parks play a role It is important in the economic development of our city, and we are proud to be part of this renaissance.
