Wahconah Park Restoration Advancing With Support From Parks Commission

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — While there are some unknowns, the restoration of Wahconah Park is advancing.

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission supported a move toward the project's development and design phase. Mayor Peter Marchetti has received a final report from the Wahconah Park Restoration Committee recommending a $28.4 million rebuild of the grandstand and parking lot.

"Although there are still some unknowns on how we're going to close the gap of funding, I think it's imperative that we take the next step and move on and get ourselves into the development and design phase," he told the commissioners.

"We all know that the longer we wait, the more expensive it will be."

In late June, the restoration committee unanimously voted to move from the schematic design to the design development phase that will deliver full architectural and engineering plans. Planners hope for a yearlong construction beginning next year.

With $18 million committed between grant funding and capital borrowing, the committee must work to fill the $10 million gap.

"I'm glad we're moving forward," Chair Paula Albro said.

Members met for the first time in the summer of 2022 after major issues were found in the more than 70-year-old grandstand including deteriorating support beams, missing bolts, and asbestos materials in the siding and roof.

According to the order, the committee is charged with:

• Assessing the current condition of the park's facilities.
• Holding hearings and soliciting input from residents, engineers, architects, and anyone the committee deems necessary and appropriate.
• Recommending the size, location, design, and type of repairs, replacement, or construction for the grandstand and associated areas.
• Working with the Purchasing Department to advise and make recommendations to the mayor and Parks Commission for the hiring or engaging of architects, engineers, inspectors, and other agents to advise and assist in the committee's duties.
• Issuing a preliminary report to the mayor within 180 days of its appointment and a final report within 270 days.

The administration will explore adding a second phase to the committee's work that focuses on funding.

"We know the city's commitment that I put out pretty early on, we know that we have some federal dollars, we know there's a potential state earmark, and then we also know that there's an opportunity to fundraise and receive sponsorships," Marchetti said.

"So my office is exploring how we can expand the duties of the restoration committee and maybe not include all the members of the restoration committee because they may not want to be a part of asking for money from various organizations in terms of a sponsorship."

The city plans to continue working with S3 Design Inc. as the lead architects and project managers, EDM Studio for local architectural support for regulatory review and code compliance, SLR Consulting for stadium design and renovation, Dant Clayton for a structure permit/bid package for the seating and roof structure, and Sports Facilities Co. for a review of the design, operations, and support.

Design development will cost more than $1.2 million and will take about 25 weeks after work is initiated, Marchetti reported.

Pittsfield Says Goodbye to Wahconah Park Grandstand

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:45AM / Sunday, April 12, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti and 'Banjo Joe' Ryan lead a chorus of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' with a nod to the Pittsfield Suns. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people bid farewell to the Wahconah Park grandstand on Saturday with a round of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," hot dogs, and stories about the ballpark. 

"Sometimes you felt like you were at Fenway Park, but mostly it just felt like home," Parks Commissioner Clifford Nilan said. 

"How lucky the players were to be playing in this park, and how lucky we were to be able to watch." 

Wahconah Park's 75-year-old grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners have determined that starting from square one is the best option; a $15 million rebuild is on the table. Demolition is expected to begin soon, and the city planned the "Farewell to the Grandstand" event to celebrate its past and look forward to the future. 

The old grandstand also had to be redrafted when estimates for construction came in at more than $200,000. It would be built at about half the length of the wooden structure it replaced for a sum of $115,000.

"In the early 1900s, Wahconah Park went from concept on paper to construction. The grandstand was built between the 1949 and 1950 seasons. It was designed to seat about 2,000 fans. A few decades later, in 2005, Wahconah Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places," Mayor Peter Marchetti said. 

"That longevity matters because it connects today's games, school events, and community gatherings to more than a century of shared memories." 

Marchetti and "Banjo Joe" Ryan led a verse of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," adding "Root, root, root for the Suns, if they don't win it's a shame." Pittsfield and its longtime summer collegiate baseball team, the Pittsfield Suns, have signed a negotiating rights agreement, solidifying that the two will work together when the historic ballpark is renovated. 

Artifacts of the ballpark were displayed in cases outside of the grandstand for the event, along with banners depicting the park's history and a roped-off area for community members to see the structure one last time.