Pittsfield Receiving $500K State Grant for Pontoosuc Lake Park Redesign

PITTSFIELD, Mass. —The state has fully funded a grant request for the revisioning of Pontoosuc Lake Park, a well-loved gem for sightseeing and recreation.  

The $500,000 boost is being matched by city funds, totaling $1 million, and construction is expected to begin next summer.

"I am happy to report here this evening publicly that the grant application that we submitted this summer to the Executive Office of Energy Environmental Affairs to the park grant program was funded fully at the $500,000 level. So that means we now have a project to completely redesign Pontoosuc Lake Park," Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath said to Parks Commission on Tuesday.

"What that means is that we will be entering into a contract with the commonwealth shortly to have the grant project. There's $500,000 that they've offered the project, the City Council at their capital budget hearing for FY24 authorized a $500,000 match to this grant so there's now a million dollars that we have to execute a project at Pontoosuc Lake year one, which we're in right now which goes through June 30 of 2024, is the design year."

The project agreement, which is required as part of the grant, was endorsed by the commission.

The city completed a master plan for the park in 2020 and in 2021, began a public engagement process to hear what residents value about the park. The location’s "iconic" white pine trees were highlighted as a positive attribute and accessibility as an area that could be improved.

Last year, plans for the park were released for the public feedback.

Berkshire Design Group has been hired to undertake a survey and a complete design of the park and McGrath said there will be an abundance of involvement from the commission, neighborhood, and other stakeholders.

The invasive species was detected in Laurel Lake and its outflow in the Housatonic River in Lee/Lenox in 2009. Since then, the city has actively worked with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to proactively monitor and bring awareness to proper boating care to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels from one waterbody to another.

He said the city is working to figure out what this all means.

Community Preservation Act funds were allocated last year for a boat wash station at the lake to prevent the invasion by the species. This discovery could lead the project to be scrapped and funds put into a different type of station at another location, though the city has to engage in conversations with the state to fully assess the situation.

The presence of zebra mussel eDNA reverses the scenario from protection to containment.

"We will do everything we can to make certain that Onota Lake is not the place where other lakes are finding their infestation is coming from," McGrath said.

"We will do everything we can to make certain that Onota Lake is open for recreation but that those that are using the lake aren't going to cross-contaminate another water body. That's the last thing we need to happen."

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.