BHS Schedules Community Meeting on Fairview Hospital Revitalization Plan

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has scheduled a community meeting in July for area residents to ask questions about and comment on planned renovations to the Fairview Hospital campus.
 
The campus revitalization plan blends historical preservation with innovative design to better integrate new technologies and provide a more welcoming, personalized, and inclusive environment for patients at every step of their care journey. 
 
A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Rd., Great Barrington. BHS leaders and members of the project team will be on hand to discuss the proposed building plans. Berkshire Health Systems looks forward to hearing community input during this important meeting and partnering with staff, donors, and the entire community to ensure a successful renovation of its beloved community hospital.
 
While specific details of the project are still being finalized, the overall elements of the plan include construction of a new outpatient building adjacent to the current hospital which will include new surgical and imaging suites, including a new MRI, and an expanded emergency department. There are also plans to renovate a floor in the existing building to create modern new patient rooms. Together, these upgrades will offer more space for state-of-the-art treatment and technology, allowing Fairview Hospital to meet the changing needs of its community.  

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Elevated Mercury Level Found in Center Pond Fish

BECKET, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health has issued an advisory after a mercury-contaminated fish was found in Center Pond. 
 
According to a letter sent to the local Board of Health from the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention, elevated levels of mercury were measured in the sample taken from the pond. 
 
The concentration in the fish exceeded DPH's action level of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million. 
 
"This indicates that daily consumption of fish from the waterbody may pose a health concern. Therefore, DPH has issued a FCA for Center Pond recommending that sensitive populations should not eat chain pickerel and all other people should limit consumption of chain pickerel to 2 meals/month," the letter states.
 
The letter specifically points to chain pickerel, but the 60-acre pond also has largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
 
The "sensitive populations" include children younger than 12, those who are nursing, pregnant, or who may become pregnant.
 
The Toxicology Division recommends reducing intake of "large, predatory fish" or fish that feed on the bottoms of waterbodies, such as largemouth bass and carp. More information on safely eating fish can be found here
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