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.

BRTA Announces Free Rides Extension

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Governor Maura Healey announced that Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) will receive $699,733 for fare free service from Jan 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025. 
 
Working together, 13 Massachusetts Regional Transit Authorities submitted a joint application to disburse the $30 million made available in the state budget based on ridership within their service areas.
 
Customers riding the fixed route bus and/or the complementary ADA paratransit service will be fare free from Jan. through Sept. 2025. BRTA was already awarded funding to provide free rides for the 2024 Holiday season.
 
Members of the MassDOT and MBTA boards of directors voted on an agreement to deliver $600 million in state funding to the MBTA for rail and station upgrades that will improve safety and reliability across the system. The funding was made possible by Healey’s proposal in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget that leverages Fair Share funding  to support infrastructure investments. The total amount of funding unlocked through this provision is expected to grow throughout the Fiscal Year. 
 
"Our administration is proud to be delivering the most state funding to the MBTA in 20 years. Secretary Tibbits-Nutt and General Manager Eng have been delivering significant results when it comes to improving safety and reliability at the T, and this funding will allow us to build on that progress even further," said Governor Maura Healey. "We're grateful to the Legislature and the MassDOT and MBTA Boards for their partnership on this funding mechanism that will continue to deliver more resources for transportation infrastructure improvements across the state this year and for years to come." 
 
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