A bronze plaque mounted on a large stone in the center of Prifti Park is a remembrance of former Southwick Selectman Nuchi T. Prifti. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – Prifti Park is getting closer to becoming a recognized park.
Despite its name, Prifti Park is not a true park. The property is owned by the town and the Parks and Recreation Commission is taking steps to have it named a park.
“Once it is a park, it isn’t going away and they can’t take it away,” said Commission Chairman Kelly Magni.
The process of having the land declared a park began three years ago.
“The town wanted to use it for the new DPW,” said Magni.
The Commission pushed back and began working to have it officially be named a park, which would protect the land from other uses.
Stephen Salvini of Salvini Associates Land Surveyers of Chester met with the Commission last night to discuss an easement that could pose concerns.
Two abutting parcels were once owned by a resident named Raymond Griffin, who sold the parcels separately. One was sold in 1954, and then several years later the other lot was sold to the town.
Prifti Park is part of a seven-acre parcel of land owned by the Town of Southwick where the former Consolidated School was located. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
The Commission was concerned that an easement at that site could be a problem.
Salvini said language in the deed states that the easement on the land, because it was owned previously by the same person, was extinguished. He added that because of a sidewalk there, he believed legally it would be considered a prescriptive easement.
“That sidewalk has been there for over 20 years,” Salvini said.
A prescriptive easement is an easement upon another’s real property acquired by continued use without permission of the owner for a period provided by state law to establish the easement.
Salvini said the next step would be to present the findings to town counsel for review, then to the Board of Selectmen.
Magni said right now, control of Prifti Park is under the board.
Salvini said the exact amount of land is unknown, but he believes it is approximately seven acres.
“We need to get the footprint of the land and create a description,” he said.
