West Stockbridge — Picnics and birthday parties may soon fill new pavilions slated for Card Pond and Town Hall. On April 24, Joe Roy, the secretary for the town’s Parks and Recreation Commission, presented plans to the Select Board for two community pavilions.
Although not set in stone, the pavilions are slated for Card Pond and Town Hall and, according to meeting documents, “will serve as a hub for social gatherings, recreational activities, community events and educational programs.” As public spaces, the sites can be used for picnics, birthday parties, outdoor classes, and meetings.
“We’ve been going before a lot of the different boards and town officials, saying, ‘What should we be looking out for, what are your opinions on this, does this interfere with anything anybody else has going on,’” Roy said to the Select Board. “And, so far, it’s gotten a lot of positive feedback.”
In addition to Roy, the Parks and Recreation Commission includes Caitlin Graham, Ashley Daigle, and JP Boscarino.
The approved application to the town’s Community Preservation Commission for the new pavilions is the culmination of the group’s research into the project, with the total cost for the two sites tallying $64,000, he said.
The Card Pond Pavilion will be 14 feet by 28 feet in size and include three picnic tables. The estimated cost of this pavilion installed, including site preparation and engineering, is $27,840. The Town Hall Pavilion will be 16 feet by 32 feet in size and include eight picnic tables. The estimated cost of this pavilion installed, including site preparation and engineering, is $35,550. Roy said the latter pavilion could be located by the library and serve residents using the nearby fields.
Maintenance for the new pavilions will fall under the Parks and Recreation budget. Roy said the project has been on the Parks and Recreation Commission’s bucket list for the past five years. “So, we’re really excited about this,” he said.
At the meeting, the Select Board also unanimously approved Kelli Bradbury as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, as well as an entertainment license for the West Stockbridge Farmers’ Market that is approaching its 13th year. The Market runs from May 23 to October 3 on Thursdays, from 3 to 6 p.m.
