Park construction starts with Santa’s House makeover

Date: 9/19/2014

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Construction is underway at Mittineague Park to enhance the park’s accessibility and improve its functionality.
   
The construction began on Sept. 8 for the Mittineague Park Gateway Entrance Improvements and is anticipated to continue until May 2015. A $400,000 Massachusetts Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant made the project possible. The total cost of the project is $620,000. Community Preservation Act funds provided the remaining $220,000.
   
“We want to bring people into the park and make it their own home town destination,” Victoria Connor, Park & Recreation director, said.
   
Conner added, “The construction crew is going to do as much as it can until snow falls. Santa’s House is our first priority.”
   
She explained that the West Springfield Garden Club donated a brand new Santa’s House to replace the current one that is rotting. Connor noted that the current house is not a historical building, but a replica of one.
   
Connor said that 36 new trees of a variety of species will be added to the park. Twenty trees have to be removed due to disease and poor health. She anticipated that the pedestrian bridge that was washed out by Tropical Storm Tammy in 2005 would be replaced in the spring, rather than prior to winter.
   
Improvements include:
• New 13-by-26-foot Santa’s House with 8-by-26-foot building attached to the old Santa’s House, which will be altered to open pavilion/pergola style. Electrical upgrades to Santa’s House
• New paved entrance road, with new raised crosswalk (old speed bump removed)
• 23 new parking spaces, including two handicapped spaces
• Accessible walkways to sun dial area and memorial areas
• New picnic areas, entrance sign and flag pole
• 36 new trees

• 35 new gravel parking spaces, including two handicapped spaces
• Two accessible horseshoe courts
• Accessible walkway and new benches

• 82 new 16-by-20-foot community garden plots
• 12 new handicapped accessible raised planting beds
• An 18-by-24-foot picnic pavilion and picnic area
• 17 new gravel parking spaces, including two handicapped spaces

• Replacement of the pedestrian bridge over Block Brook, once again completing the Self-guided Nature Trail
• Improvement to gravel drive

• Creation of a pull off area for two-way car passage