Pittsfield Board Approves New Disc Golf Course

By Joe DurwiniBerkshires Correspondent
10:00AM / Thursday, November 21, 2013Print Story | Email Story

The Parks Commission approved the disc golf course on Tuesday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County could have its only public disc golf course by summer, following approval by the city's Parks Commission of a plan spearheaded by former commissioner James Conant.

The new course will be installed within Kirvin Park and will feature nine holes (a basket with a ring on top and chains hanging down, all mounted on a seven foot pole) across varying terrain, played with a Frisbee-style disc.

In response to a long expressed interest from Pittsfield residents, Conant worked with Parks and Open Spaces Manager James McGrath to develop a plan for a suitable site.

"We kind of quickly came to to the conclusion that Kirvin was the best fit," Conant told the Parks Commission. "Kirvin really lends itself nicely, because it's just kind of a rolling terrain, with nice wispy grass, which you don't have to mow in the traditional golf sense."

Conant described it as a "great passive recreation for families and kids," which would require no special equipment and no maintenance. Additionally, the installation will be at no cost to the city.

"I don't know of any that are here in town," said Conant, "The closest one I know of is in Northampton, and that's very popular."

Disc golf as a sport was first pioneered in the early 1960s by Kevin Donnelly, recreation supervisor for the city of Newport Beach, Calif., but has grown wildly in popularity during the past decade. According to Disc Golf Course Review, the number of courses for the sport worldwide doubled between 2000 and 2008.

A disc golf basket at Bousquet Disc Golf Course, Pittsfield's private, pay-to-play course.

McGrath said the design for the course was developed with consulting help from a firm called Explore Disc Golf, which also helped select the site.

"There made to be some minimal clearing required," said McGrath, but most of the course would take advantage of natural features of the park.

Conant said the course will be installed with volunteer help and paid for by private donation.

"Other than approval to put it up, I'm not going to ask the city for anything," Conant said. "Which is unique in itself."

"I think it's a great idea," said commission chair Dr. John Herman.

The Parks Commission voted unanimously to approve the installation, which because the park is also considered a conservation area, will now also have to be approved by the Conservation Commission, who previously looked favorably on the proposal in its informational stage. As long as approved, installation will take place this spring.

Tags: disc golf, parks commission,

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Pittsfield ConCom OKs Stairs at Pontoosuc Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:59AM / Friday, August 07, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Shoreline access stairs are coming to the south side of Pontoosuc Lake.

Last week, the Conservation Commission approved an amendment to the Order of Conditions for work at Pontoosuc Lake Park. There will be two stair sets on the south shoreline, and additional bank stabilization.

In 2025, the park's south side saw new stairs from the parking lot, a boardwalk, and other improvements. Later phases of the project will enhance the north side of the park for swimming, and remedy a concrete barrier wall that is partially underwater.

"Generally, what we're looking to do at Pontoosuc Lake Park is install some stair sets in two locations to help folks access from up above the bank, over the bank, and into the water," Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained during the July 23 meeting.

"We're sensitive to some of the issues that are currently existing on the bank, and we're also sensitive to some of the needs for lake recreation out there."

Stairs for water access will be placed on the shoreline at the beginning of the boardwalk, where it is highly eroded, and the second staircase will be at the extreme western end of the project area, which has around 100 feet of highly eroded bank.

Additional brush layering will also stabilize the bank.

An area near the boat ramp where live stakes were vandalized will see them replanted after the ConCom found some of the bank erosion was worse than believed on a site visit last year.

The city originally proposed not replanting the area where live stakes were removed.

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