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Park Square Maple Couldn't Weather Summer Storms

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — One of Park Square's trees wasn't able to weather the summer storms.

A large limb from a 32-foot sugar maple in the park fell next to the fountain area over the weekend.  Caution tape and traffic barrels now surround the aftermath. 

If it cannot be saved, it will likely be replaced.

This tree was assessed two years ago as part of the Park Square Tree Planting Project and deemed to be in "fair to good" condition. Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath explained that it was showing deadwood and areas on top were experiencing dieback but planners hoped to clean it up to "serve our needs into the future" due to its significance in the park.

The tree was determined to have "low vigor," he reported, and could have had some internal rot not seen in the review.

As recommended by the 2022 plan, pruning was scheduled for the fall along with multiple other trees in the park. With such a significant portion now gone, McGrath's instinct is to remove the tree and replace it with a similar sugar maple.

He said the city will likely look to plant five trees this fall and fully implement the plan. The project removes four trees and plants seven, including the city's permanent Christmas tree that was unveiled last year.

Thirteen trees were assessed for health, risk, and safe useful lifespan. The maple tree's DBH, or diameter measured at 4.5 feet above the ground, is 32.5 inches and it was identified as having "large deadwood" as a defect.

As part of the plan, the Berkshire County Historical Society honored the Berkshires' first known environmentalist, Lucretia Williams, by planting an elm tree at the park last year.

It was not far from the spot where Williams had saved the Pittsfield elm tree from the axe 233 years before.

Last holiday season, the city's permanent Christmas tree was lit for the holidays for the first time. The young tree is expected to grow up to 50 feet in time and stands next to the spot where the maple limb fell.

23 Years Later, Berkshire Communities Remember 9/11

By Brittany Polito & Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:28PM / Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Dalton officials are joined by police, firefighters and community members at Sept. 11 observances outside Town Hall on Tuesday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Around 50 people gathered in Veterans Memorial Park to mark the 23rd anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, when attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon left nearly 3,000 people dead, thousands wounded, and launched two of the nation's longest wars.

 

Mayor Peter Marchetti described it as "a day that most of us would probably like to forget." When he woke up this morning, the clear skies and sunshine eerily reminded him of the weather on that tragic day. 

 

"There's been a number of these years that the weather is almost exactly the same to remind us of that treacherous day that we all were surprised," he added. 

 

"You know, growing up in this generation, knowing all of the folks that say, 'Do you remember where you were when President Kennedy was shot?' Now my generation has 'Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001?'" 

 

Five Berkshire County soldiers lost their lives in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars: Sgt. 1st Class Daniel H. Petithory, 32, of Cheshire; Spc. Michael R. DeMarsico II, 20, of North Adams; and Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, all in Afghanistan; and Sgt. Glenn R. Allison, 24, of Pittsfield, and Chief Warrant Officer Stephen M. Wells, 29, of North Egremont, in Iraq.

 

The ceremony took place around the city's Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial, dedicated four years ago to honor the men and others lost. A time capsule was buried at the monument with items that were provided by their family members and will be opened in 2101.

 

Brian Willette, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and an Army veteran, said it is "our first duty to remember and to never allow the public or even ourselves to forget the significance of today and what happened next."