Mittineague Park East Entrance Improvement Project
TOWN TO HOST A PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO MITTINEAGUE PARK EAST ENTRANCE
West Springfield, MA: The Town of West Springfield will be holding a public meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Justin Morgan Auditorium on the second floor of the Town Hall regarding the proposed improvements to the Mittineague Park East Entrance. The Town’s Central Maintenance Department and Recreation Department will oversee this project. Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 are being used for this project.
The Town of West Springfield has prioritized a vibrant parks and recreation program as a guiding principle in the Open Space and Recreation plan. The Town continues to strengthen and diversify recreation amenities throughout Town, including maintaining and upgrading existing park facilities to achieve a high level of quality, safety, aesthetic appeal, and function. Among the existing parks in Town, Mittineague Park acts as a gateway into a natural environment. With the main entrance bordered by Route 20 to the north and the Westfield River to the south, Mittineague Park is a stronghold for many pedestrians during all seasons, and hosts the West Springfield High School baseball/softball teams during the spring as well as several other recreational programs.
The East Entrance project is a much needed improvement to this area of the park. The park as a whole is 325 acres and provides a wide range of services to the residents and visitors. Some of these services are baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, basketball court, pickleball courts, tennis court, street hockey court, a batting cage, a disc golf course, numerous trails for hiking, snowshoeing or cross country skiing, horseshoe pits, community gardens, a greenhouse, playground areas, picnic pavilions, including the Unico Building, as well as Santa’s House which is open during the Christmas season.
The primary goals for this project are to develop a park design improving upon the present amenities at Mittineague Park. The Town of West Springfield has hired GZA Geoenvironmental Inc. to assist in a redesign of the layout and area of the Mittineague Park East Entrance. Specifically, the redesign will improve the current ball field layout to maximize use of available space as well as address issues created by the lack of packing in the area. Much of the parking site work would coincide with improved traffic flow in that area of the park. With the additional parking, the public would be able to access the new and improved playground and splash pad. Shade structures will be installed to provide some cooling space during the warmer months. Additional restrooms are planned that will be more easily accessible for those on the ball fields and the playgrounds.
Additional information can be found on the Town’s website: https://www.townofwestspringfield.org/Community-Resources/Park-Recreation-Department/Parks-and-Facilities/Mittineague-Park/Mittineague-Park-East-Entrance-Improvement-Project. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting on October 15 to learn more about the proposed improvements.
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