Pittsfield Summer Playground Program

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program announces the return of the Summer Playground Program for 2024.
 
The Summer Playground Program, a free, six-week-long program held at Clapp Park, Durant Park and the Common, offers a wide range of recreation activities to Pittsfield children between the ages of 6 to 13. This program runs from July 8 to August 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at each designated location at no cost.
 
If there is inclement weather, the program will move from each park to the Berkshire Family YMCA. Details of these changes will be shared on the Pittsfield Parks and Recreation social media pages.
 
Playground leaders will create safe, supervised and fun-filled outdoor activities including sports, games, arts and crafts and nature activities. In addition, several new activities are planned for this summer's program including:
  • The Berkshire Museum Mobile Unit will visit each park once a week.
  • The Berkshire Athenaeum will be providing books for the children and adventure backpacks (while supplies last).
  • Pittsfield Public Schools will be providing FREE lunches daily.
  • Massachusetts Safe Routes to School will be leading a safety demo the first week of the program.
  • Hosting several Soap Box Derby "build days" in partnership with Blue Q, Interprint, Westside Legends and Berkshire Art Center.
  • 2 field trips will be provided by the Pittsfield Public Schools transportation department with visits to Onota Lake and pickleball courts at Springside Park
For more information, contact Maddy Brown, Recreation and Special Events Coordinator, at mbrown@cityofpittsfield.org or (413) 499-9371.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

BCC Sees $1M in Federal Funds for Trades Academy

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal secured $995,000 to begin design and construction of the academy. The congressman had earlier attended the Norman Rockwell Museum business breakfast, which celebrated Laurie Norton Moffatt's 49 years leading the institution.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College was awarded nearly $1 million in federal funds to support a Trades Academy. 

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal visited the college to highlight the $995,000 he secured through congressionally directed spending. Executive Director of Workforce and Community Education Linda Clairmont said BCC can be a destination for adults who want to learn a skilled trade. 

"I want to join up with the amazing work that Taconic and McCann (vocational high schools) are doing to prepare people for these really specific skills, helping people become confident professionals with a direct path to high-wage, high-demand jobs," she explained. 

"And we're also addressing the labor shortage that exists in this county, around the state, and around the country, in the skilled trades." 

The federal funding will support a feasibility study of an existing vacant building on campus, as well as the evaluation and abatement of any hazardous materials at the location, because it was once a power plant. 

BCC will dip its toe into the skilled trades with its first HVAC training program, for which it received $1.2 million from the state in support. The $995,000 in federal funds will go toward creating the academy in a building located on the main campus, and the HVAC heat pump training program will be funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. 

The $1 million in federal monies will get the college to construction documents, maybe fund some construction, and help identify the necessary equipment and other learning space needs for a skilled trade, Clairmont reported. 

The funding is part of more than $14 million in congressionally directed spending secured by the congressman to support economic development, workforce training, and community infrastructure across the Berkshires.

Neal said there are about 6.5 million jobs in the United States that go unanswered every day.

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