Pittsfield is planning to install its new ice skating rink in front of Wahconah Park.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city plans to site its temporary ice rink in front of Wahconah Park. 

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission endorsed Wahconah Park for the location, as Clapp Park would require expensive electrical accommodations. Now, the skating rink will be sandwiched between two restaurants and, someday, a new ballpark. 

This had been a part of plans to make the ballpark a four-season destination. 

"The ice rink had always been envisioned in the long-term plan for what was in the vision for Wahconah Park. Citing it temporarily at Clapp Park for a year or so, perhaps two years, was something that was a temporary placeholder location, and then, with the understanding that we would eventually be setting this up seasonally at Wahconah Park," Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said. 

"The mayor has always thought that Wahconah Park is the right location for the ice rink." 

When the project was put out to bid, the system came back $75,000 higher than the cost estimate, and after a consultation with Eversource for temporary utilities at Clapp Park, it became clear that the cost was "really more than could be prudently justified," McGrath explained. 

In September, the City Council accepted a total of $200,000 from five local organizations for the portable ice rink system. 

The city has already been working with the electric company on power supply needs for Wahconah Park, which are far less expensive than the formerly proposed location. 

"This also helps achieve sort of the long-term goal of creating equal access for this ice rink," McGrath added. 

"Hosting it at Wahconah Street may invariably be a better location than Clapp Park. It's much more accessible to folks in those dense neighborhoods, much more walkable, and may prove to be a more advantageous location." 

When asked why The Common isn’t being pursued, he explained that they would have a host of infrastructure issues that aren’t present at Wahconah Park. 

McGrath explained that this may be the long-term site for the ice rink, and while the new grandstand and park are being designed with a smaller footprint, they will be mindful of fitting the 50-by-100-foot rink on the property for the winter months. 

Planners will also have to consider what happens in that space during warmer seasons. 

This will go before the Conservation Commission on Thursday, as the area staged for the ice rink is in a floodplain. 

There is also movement with the Wahconah Park restoration project that is taking place in the grandstand area behind where the ice rink will be set up. 

The following ConCom meeting will see a notice of intent application for the demolition of the Wahconah Park grandstand.  In the next several weeks, the city hopes to see a smaller, more compact design from S3 Design and the owner’s project manager, Skanska. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti received a final report from the Wahconah Park Restoration Committee last year recommending a $28.4 million rebuild of the grandstand and parking lot. In July, the Parks Commission voted to demolish the historic, disrepaired grandstand and have the project team consider how to retain the electrical elements so that baseball can continue to be played. 

Last year, there was $18 million committed between grant funding and capital borrowing. 

"We currently have federal funding in place, which has a deadline on it, so if we're going to spend that money, we know we need to demo the grandstand," McGrath explained. 

"So the idea is that we bring the grandstand down in the late winter months. Hopefully, we can turn around and begin a project at some point in the spring or early summer to begin construction of the grandstand, but commissioners, you haven't seen any of those new plans; they're still being developed. I haven't really seen them. We've been having a lot of conversations about what they might look like." 

The Parks Commission might see planning documents at its December meeting. 

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