Wahconah Park Gets Upgrades

12:49PM / Wednesday, May 21, 2008Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD – Mayor James M. Ruberto announced today that the City of Pittsfield is closing in on the first phase of a year and a half refurbishment project for Wahconah Park.

Before the first Pittsfield Dukes home game on June 9, against Danbury, CT, the Pittsfield Maintenance Department has been working to finish both the home and away team locker rooms. Old black and blue locker rooms with paint chipped metal folding chairs have been traded in for a light grey and maroon paint and new seating for the players. The carpets have been replaced along with the light fixtures that are brighter and more energy efficient. The bathrooms and showers have been completely replaced and coming in under budget.

“Our maintenance team has put in a lot of hard work to get the Park ready for the 2008 season. During the season we will evaluate the rest of the refurbishment plans for feasibility and money savings,” said Ernie Fortini, Director of Maintenance for the City of Pittsfield.

The new LED scoreboard has been installed by Callahan Signs and is fully operational. The outfield will get a new sprinkler system, the infield will be torn up and replaced, the screening behind home plate will be extended to protect the fans, a new roof will be installed, and the speaker system will be upgraded.

“Wahconah Park has had organized baseball since 1892 and we plan on keeping the tradition alive,” said Mayor Ruberto. “There are two seasons, winter and baseball, and I am glad the good weather has arrived. With the renovations that have already taken place and the ones in the works, we will definitely improve the look and feel of Wahconah Park.”

Current plans are to move the men’s room to one of the concession stands and then turn the existing men’s room into an expanded women’s room, with will almost double its size and be cleaner, brighter, and more water and energy efficient. “With the money saved from multiple smaller projects at the Park, a pavilion to the right of the entrance is being proposed that would give families a place to sit down and enjoy a nice summer day before the game or during the 7th inning stretch,” said Ernie.

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that sounds pretty good
from: tanner	on: 06-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

That sounds fantastic.
from: Sam	on: 06-23-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Ever heard of Jim Bouton?
from: g-a	on: 06-23-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Please do not screen off the whole grandstand. The view is great without any distraction.
from: bill desanty	on: 06-28-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I hope we don't have to wait for a renovation to get clean bathrooms! They're pretty disgusting right now. Isn't this the city's responsibility, as part of The Dukes contract?
from: A.M.	on: 07-14-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Screening off the entire grandstand is dumb. Way to tuck it to the fans.
from: baseball fanatic	on: 07-23-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I am in the middle of reading Jim Bouton's book 'Foul Ball' What happened? Did an Independent League team come in or a minor league team. How long have the 'Dukes' been using the stadium. So, what happened to Bouton's dream is my real question. Dave Moore, Vermont
from: What happened after Jim Bouton's plan in about 2001	on: 10-02-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Editor: The Pittsfield Dukes are in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. They've been playing at Wahconah for three years. Bouton's partnership withdrew from the park four years ago after the attorney general suggested their renovation project would have to follow public bidding laws. The city owns Wahconah Park.
from:	on: 10-02-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I don't believe either Bouton or his partner, Chip Elitzer, had a problem complying with public bidding laws. They knew going in Wahconah Park is a publicly-owned facility, and that there was going to be a lot of red tape to go through to do anything with Wahconah. I think what happened is that Bouton and Elitzer are considered "outsiders" among the people who run Pittsfield, and there's a lot of resentment over "Foul Ball" and the bad publicity the city got from it. Also, Bouton and Elitzer wanted a long-term lease for renovating and operating Wahconah, and THAT met with a lot of resistance, even though the taxpayers wouldn't have had to spend a dime. End result: Bouton and Elitzer are out of the picture, Pittsfield has no pro ball, and Wahconah is being fixed up with public money because there was too much bad blood between the city and the Bouton-Elitzer group.
from:	on: 10-09-2008 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

I don't care how you spin it, Pittsfield politics screwed Jim Bouton, you don't deserve Waconah Park, and it would serve you right if the whole place burned down and you ended up with nothing, to match the intelligence levels of the power brokers of Pittsfield
from: Jon T Hoffman	on: 08-05-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
04:21PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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