Southwick Town Hall. (WNG File Photo)
SOUTHWICK – The Open Space Plan Committee will be holding a public informational session on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the land use room at the Southwick Town Hall to allow residents in the community to give their thoughts on open space and recreation in Southwick.
According to Dennis Clark, Open Space Plan Committee Chairman, the public is encouraged to offer ideas, thoughts and suggestions on, not only how the committee should plan for open space, but what new recreational activities should be implemented, and what areas they want to see preserved.
“We’re trying to get as many people involved at this point,” said Clark. “It’s what they want to see for Southwick open space and recreation.”
Clark mentioned that he sees the constant additions to recreation that happens throughout communities, pointing out the growth of pickleball in the area and the potential of Westfield adding a pickleball court.
“Every day there’s something new coming out,” said Clark.
A rural community despite the town’s continued increase in population, Southwick features several farms, a wildlife conservation area, Congamond Lake, a rail trail, athletic fields, a track, and much more.
A survey will be going out to all Southwick residents by the end of October. The survey will include several questions that ask the townspeople about open space and recreation.
The Open Space Plan Committee is working on accomplishing a majority of their open space plans internally, trying to avoid spending more than they want to. Clark noted that anything done externally may include doing some mapping and hiring a consultant.
The committee was formed due to the town of Southwick needing to update their Open Space and Recreation Plan. Every community in Massachusetts has the option to renew their plan every seven years. Southwick’s most recent plan was 2011 and the deadline for them to renew the plan is November of 2019. The plan allows municipalities in town to apply to various grants from the state.
The committee is looking to keep the majority of the process to be internally. Committee member Russ Fox has noted that a majority of the 2019 plan will look similar to 2011, but some things have changed recreationally in Southwick since 2011. This includes the additions of Whalley Park and a disc golf facility, but losing Southwick Country Club. Since the previous plan in 2011, Southwick was also no longer the host of the Motocross Nationals.
Due to the lack of changes that are expected to be made with the new plan, the committee isn’t planning on spending $10,000 or more. If the committee planned on spending that amount of money, they would have to send out at least three RFP’s (Request for Proposals) to organizations to assist them with the process.
For Southwick’s last plan in 2012, they received help from PVPC (Pioneer Valley Planning Commission). The PVPC helped gather data and statistics to help the committee create their updated plan. Fox noted that since the committee is looking at spending less than $10,000, they could ask for help from one organization, and PVPC will be in consideration.
The Community Preservation Committee has already agreed to take up to four or five percent out of their administrative account in order to use that money to hire a consultant.
