BOSTON – Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray and Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr. announced yesterday that Westfield would receive $1 million for the Columbia River Greenway.
The grant will allow Westfield to build a greenway along an abandoned rail line from the city’s border with Southwick a mile down the road to the Little River. The greenway will also eventually connect to trails in Northampton, allowing travel along a substantial network of trails to the north as well.
More than $14 million in grants were given to enhance parks and recreational facilities in 25 communities throughout the Commonwealth.
“Parks are key resources that strengthen the fabric of communities across Massachusetts,” said Murray. “By committing resources to our parks, we and our municipal partners are providing more recreational opportunities for people of all ages and effecting positive change throughout the state.”
Mayor Daniel Knapik thanked Murray and Sullivan for the funds, which he said will “get the project off the ground.”
Knapik said the trail has been in planning stages since 1995 and will include a 60-car parking lot by Shaker Country Club.
Knapik said access to the trail at the Southwick line would go through the country club.
“The only way to get there is through that parking lot,” Knapik said. “We will work on an agreement to access the Greenway.”
There will also be two other access points, one at Colony Park and another at Winding Ridge.
Knapik said work is set to begin April 1 and, according to the grant, must be complete by July 1.
“This is big,” said Knapik. “We’ll get a mile’s worth of trail.”
The grants derive from two EEA initiatives – the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities program (PARC) and the Gateway Cities Parks Program, which is one of Governor Patrick’s signature initiatives. Through these two programs alone, the Patrick-Murray Administration has invested more than $72.9 million since 2007, resulting in the creation or restoration of 154 parks.
The grants will fund projects in Amherst, Barnstable, Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Falmouth, Gloucester, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Medford, Northampton, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Somerville, Springfield, Westfield, Wilbraham, Woburn, and Worcester.
“Public parks are essential to the health and economic wellbeing of our communities,” said Sullivan. “Both of these programs have been key tools in helping revitalize our public spaces in communities across the Commonwealth.”
Sullivan, former mayor of Westfield, said the Greenway is a multi-phase project and the $1 million grant will help complete phase one from Southwick to the Tin Bridge.
“I’m thrilled to get out the first phase,” said Sullivan.
