WESTFIELD – The Parks & Recreation Commission voted yesterday night to approve construction of a spray park at Sadie Knox Field, the last step in securing a $200,000 state grant.
Community Development Director Peter J. Miller, Jr. said the city considered two other playgrounds on the city’s North side, the Paper Mill and Hampton Ponds facilities, but that the Sadie Knox site, located on Prospect Street, was the best fit for the state Our Common Backyard grant.
“The Governor (Deval Patrick) wants to build a spray park or playground in every community before the end of the year,” Miller said. “The site has to be near an environmental justice neighborhood.”
Miller said the present basketball court at Sadie Knox will be cut to a half court to make room for the spray park.
“People report they don’t see a lot of full-court action, most of it is half court,” Miller said. “This location keeps the softball fields usable and unimpeded as possible during construction of the spray park.”
Miller said other amenities such as benches, improved bathrooms and handicapped accessible sidewalks are included in the scope of the project.
The City Council unanimously approved an appropriation of $300,000 in Community Preservation Act funding at its meeting last week which clears the way for advertising the spray park construction contract.
“The city will get the bid out in June,” Miller said. “Construction will start in September after the softball season is over and work will be completed by the end of December, a requirement of the grant.”
P&R Commissioner Dawn Sienkiewicz said the installation of a spray park facility at Chapman Playground has changed the demographic of who uses the playground, fostering more family-oriented activity.
“Build it and the kids will come,” Sienkiewicz said. “It has moved the riffraff out of Chapman park” because of the presence of adults accompanying their children.
Commissioner Sara Unger said that Sadie Knox will be used by families because of the change in the character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
“There is a lot of new development, and families with younger children (moving into) that area,” Unger said.
In other business, City Engineer Mark Cressotti requested the commission to authorize Interim Director Jim Blascak to sign a change order for the Park Square Green reconstruction project.
The contractor for the Main/Broad street reconstruction project, which include Park Square Green, notified city officials that it is returning $94,938.80 to the city.
Cressotti said the money, part of a city bond, was designated for work at the Green, but the state Department of Transportation paid the contractor.
“This money goes back to the city’s bond to be used for enhancements to Park Square Green,” Cressotti said. “Right now some of it is being used for construction of the pavilion and will be used to buy the windows, doors and copula for the pavilion. There’s still a lot to be done.”
