Women of Color Giving Circle to host Kwanzaa Celebration

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Women of Color Giving Circle and the Rites of Passage and Empowerment Program (R.O.P.E.) present its annual community Kwanzaa Celebration at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29 at the Tyler Street Lab, 741 Tyler St.
 
The celebration can also be viewed on facebook.com/pittsfieldtv.
 
Kwanzaa is a non-religious celebration held Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. The holiday celebrates African and African-American culture, with an emphasis on seven principles geared towards uplift and empowerment.
 
This year's conversation will center on the Kwanzaa principle of Umoja (unity).
 
Speakers will include Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. of The Griffin Firm, PLLC, and Keiana West, senior coordinator of community engagement for the Center for Policing Equity. The event lineup will also include a performance by Christine Bile.
 
For more information, please contact Shirley Edgerton at 413-496-4602.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Historic Wahconah Park Grandstand Almost Leveled

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If you want to catch a last glimpse of the remaining Wahconah Park grandstand, you need to hurry.  

The historic grandstand is currently being demolished, with only a couple of the major structures remaining. Pittsfield is also working on what comes next for the park, and how baseball will return next year. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said if people want to see the last of the structure, they should head down by the end of this week because "by Thursday or Friday it probably will entirely be down."

"It's moving quickly now that they're into the active demo phase," he told the Parks Commission on Tuesday. 

"…Certainly, I think by the end of September we'll see cleanup and, if you will, the big hole where the stadium sat. That all will be filled to grade." 

The more than 75-year-old structure was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners determined that starting from square one is the best option.

On Sept. 3, the Conservation Commission issued 36 orders of conditions for the reconstruction of the ballpark. 

Conservation Agent Shannon Poulin pointed out that the application has gone through many revisions; reconstruction cannot begin until a certificate of compliance for the demolition is issued. 

The project crew will have an on-site meeting on Friday morning and consider two avenues of revitalization: The funding, last estimated around $15 million, and a financial strategy coming together through the mayor so that Pittsfield can move into an active build next year, or a longer process where the field is utilized before a new grandstand is built. 

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