Pittsfield 2025 Summer Playground Program

07:46AM / Thursday, July 03, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program announces the return of the Summer Playground Program for 2025.

The Summer Playground Program is a free, six-week-long program held at Clapp Park, Durant Park and The Common which offers a wide range of recreation activities to Pittsfield children between the ages of 6 to 13. This year's program will run from July 7 to Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through 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 Pittsfield Branch located at 292 North Street. Details of these changes will be shared on the Pittsfield Parks and Recreation Facebook and Instagram pages.

During the program, Playground Leaders will create safe, supervised and fun-filled outdoor activities including sports, games, arts and crafts and nature activities.

In addition, the Recreation Program is collaborating with various local organizations to offer the following:

The Berkshire Museum's Mobile Museum will visit one of the parks each week.
The Berkshire Athenaeum will be offering summer reading related activities throughout the program at each park.
Pittsfield Public Schools will be providing and serving FREE lunches daily at each park.
The Westside Legends will be hosting a build and design day at all three parks in preparation for their Sweet Gee Soap Box Derby.

For more information, contact Jennifer VanBramer, Recreation and Special Events Coordinator, at jvanbramer@cityofpittsfield.org or (413) 499-9371.

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ServiceNet Hopes to Open Pittsfield Warming Center in Nov.

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:48AM / Thursday, October 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A warming center is again planned in the First United Methodist Church for the cold months.

During last week's Homelessness Advisory Committee meeting, Erin Forbush, director of shelter and housing at ServiceNet, reported that they hope to begin operating the nighttime center in mid-November.

It would operate from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the church, which abuts The Pearl shelter. Forbush said the warming center would be the same program as in the past.

"Again it's a warming center, so there's no cots or beds, but it is certainly a place to come in, and we'll have a hot coffee or cocoa ready for folks," she explained.

"It will be a place to be inside and warm."

This year, ServiceNet hopes to secure full funding from the state so the warming center can open on Sundays at 5 p.m. In years past, they found that Sunday is the most challenging day for unhoused individuals because many community spaces aren't open.

The First Housing Resource Center, managed by Hearthway, opened earlier this year as a low-barrier option for people to rest and access amenities. It is open seven days a week, and Forbush said if people could come to the warming center on Sundays at 5, there would be a fuller day of coverage.

"It does still leave a little gap for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, as spaces like the library close at five, but we know that Sundays were something that people were looking for," she said.

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