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Date: 10/24/2023
HATFIELD — The process for improving a famous pond behind Smith Academy for more recreation is currently making headway in Hatfield.
During its Oct. 17 meeting, the Select Board took steps in its pursuit of improving the legendary Day Pond behind Smith Academy after they officially approved submitting an application to the town’s Community Preservation Committee for the next round of Community Preservation Act funding for the project. The board also agreed to form a subcommittee that will help push the project forward.
According to Select Board member Ed Jaworski, the pond has been used for fishing derbies for over 80 years, but the town is now looking to expand the use of the pond area for other recreational uses, like walking or ice skating.
“It could be a really nice recreational asset,” said Select Board Chair Diana Syznal, during the Select Board meeting.
The first step the town took in this process was completing an assessment of the pond, which cost $10,000 and was funded by the CPC.
“We’re going through the preliminary still for the project, and so we’ve cleared the technical part of [the project],” said Bryan Nicholas, a member of the Hatfield Fish and Game Club. “We don’t have contamination of any concern. We have some slight traces of a solvent, but it’s in parts per billion, so it doesn’t even trigger any reporting requirement with [the Department of Environmental Protection].”
Nicholas said the next stage of the process was to ask a representative from the Department of Environmental Protection to walk the property and call out any objections the department may have. Nicholas said the permitting process with the DEP could take a year since the DEP is backed up with so many projects.
Because of that long length of time, the Select Board felt it was necessary to approve the CPC permitting application now to keep the project moving. According to the CPC section of Hatfield’s website, the CPC has a deadline of Nov. 1 for all applications for funding for consideration at the next annual Town Meeting.
“If we can at least move the permit forward, then when it gets to Town Meeting, if they approve it, then we’re in pretty good shape,” Jaworski said.
Nicholas said if they could find some funds before Community Preservation Act funding comes in, then there is a possibility the project could get going before the Annual Town Meeting. Construction, however, is still months away.
“We’re not going to be into construction for about a year and a half under the best of circumstances at this point, but I think the end result is definitely going to be an asset for the town,” Nicholas said.
Nicholas added that there are enough resources to keep the pond healthy and support a fish population year-round when the project is finished.
According to Nicholas, there is money to also extend a walkway on the property, but that will not be completed until the pond is restored.
“I think there are so many nice things about this,” Syznal said.
The board approved a subcommittee to help push the project forward. The Select Board did not technically appoint anyone to the committee yet, but they are thinking of having Jaworski, Nicholas and a student representative from Smith Academy among other municipal and community members.