Second phase of Szot Park improvements to begin
Date: 10/25/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE – After 50 years, the stadium at Szot Park will get much needed improvements.
Mayor Michael Bissonnette announced last week that work on the renovations will begin “late this fall” as part of the second phase of improvements to the park.
Among the $1.1 million project will be work on the grandstands, bleachers, locker rooms and restrooms as well as a new dugouts and a new press box. For the first time there will be restrooms that are compliant with modern building codes as well as handicapped accessible, the mayor said.
Bissonnette explained to Reminder Publications the grant used to fund the improvements calls for a one-third match of $356,950 from the free cash account, an action already approved by the City Council.
Bissonnette said Chicopee “is one of a small number of communities getting a special Gateway Cities grant for park improvement.”
Phase One of the improvements to the park came in 2012 to replace the field lighting and add a new irrigation system and two score boards.
Bissonnette said that if there were a third phase to the Szot Park improvements it would include the roads in the park as well as lighting.
The mayor said Szot Park is “the crown jewel” of the city’s system of 30 parks and added, “Now we need to turn out attention to the neighborhood parks.”
He said improvements have been made to some parks and more work is scheduled at Garrity Grove Park, Nash Park, and Dana Park.
