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The old GoodYear sign was replaced earlier this year. Now the park it promotes is becoming a reality.

Vacant North Adams Lot Being Transformed Into UNO Park

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The empty lot next to UNO Center, at left, will have gardens, benches, basketball and bocce.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The "UNO Park" sign was installed months ago above the grassy lot that once held a tire service center at the corner of Houghton and River streets.

The UNO Center next door opened last year; now the "park" part is finally coming to fruition.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art will help develop the vacant lot into a community park with five community gardens, a half-court basketball court, a badminton court and a bocce ball court.

"It's going to be amazing," said UNO founder Shirley Davis on Thursday. "I didn't want a fence so it's going to have shrubs around. It's going to have pear trees so we can make pies. It's going to be so nice to see."
 
Mass MoCA Deputy Director Larry Smallwood informed the Planning Board on Monday of the park plans. Berkshire Hills Development Co., which owns the Porches Inn, is transferring the property to the museum along with the capital to make the improvements.

It's the latest move by city philanthropist John "Jack" Wadsworth, a Berkshire Hills principal, who seems to have single-handedly improved the once problematic intersection next to his hotel and the museum.


He purchased both the tire center and the former bar that became a home for the 25-year-old United Neighborhood Organization, and well as a dilapidated building on the west side of the street that has since been razed.

Wadsworth made the UNO Center happen, and Davis said he has been involved with the planning for the new park.

Smallwood said any recreational equipment would be checked out through UNO and that Mass MoCA will take care of the maintenance.

"The hope is that the community will use the park in these ways and other ways that we don't know about yet, mostly through the UNO center that will be the liaison between the town and Mass MoCA, who will be the production back up," Smallwood said. "We want to do something that is great for the city and we want everybody to be involved."

He said there are plans to hold community movie nights on the field and he said it may be a great location for the farmers market.

Davis had expected work on the park to have started by now, but was confident it would start soon and be "amazing."  

"We're going to fix it up and it's going to be beautiful," she said. "The kids can play and people can just visit on the benches and chill. It should be real nice when it's done."

Staff writer Tammy Daniels contributed to this report.


Tags: gardens,   public parks,   UNO,   

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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.

Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.

We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.

In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.

Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear. 

The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.

"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."

Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.

In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.

The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.

"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.

They are hoping their display carries on the tradition of the Arnold Family Christmas Lights Display that retired in 2022.

The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.

In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.

"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said. 

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