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Date: 12/12/2022
HOLYOKE – The City Council discussed a variety of topics and projects during their Dec. 6 meeting including the moving forward of Phase 1 improvements to Anniversary Hill Park.
Taking three separate items in a package, the council adopted that the grant award, accepted the $520,000, no match grant for the Phase 1 improvements and passed a resolution to accept the grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
“Prior to [Interstate] 91, this park was much bigger and meant a lot to Holyoke in terms of recreation and opportunities. The vision for this is incredible through Yoni’s Glogower, Office of Conservation and Sustainability Director] offices,” said At-Large Councilor Joseph McGiverin.
Earlier this year the City Council accepted provisions of a $150,000 federal Land and Water Conservation fund grant. The Dec. 6 meeting adopted an order from Glogower of recommendations for Phase 1 of the project, approved the new grant with no match required and adopted a resolution related to it.
The decision earlier this year from City Council helped in Kestrel Land Trust’s efforts to buy four parcels totaling 14.1 acres adjacent to Anniversary Hill Park. The state requires the City Council to adopt a resolution supporting the land transfer which is what was passed during the most recent meeting.
Efforts in making sure the park stays a public space has been important to McGiverin since the beginning of this process and noted in initial discussions in 2020 that he wanted assurances that the area would stay a public park after acquisition of the land.
The Holyoke Community Preservation Committee awarded Kestrel a $175,000 Open Space grant for the acquisition and a study. The Phase 1 renovation was previously estimated at $435,000. Below Anniversary Hill is Community Field Park, which had its own yearlong renovation in 2011-2012. The construction of Interstate 91 split Community Field and Anniversary Hill. An access road runs underneath the highway to Scott Tower.
Anniversary Hill Park was originally acquired via several donations of land from 1923 to 1939 to commemorate Holyoke’s 50th anniversary as a city. The park quickly became a destination for picnick goers, sledders and nature lovers. The split between the park and Community Field began a steep decline in public use of the park afterwards, according to information on the project provided by Kestrel Land Trust.
Another note out of the Dec. 6 meeting was the council’s decision to table a $275,000 request to fund a feasibility study to replace doors and windows at several public schools.
The schematic design study would focus on needed repairs at H.B. Lawrence, Lt. Elmer J. McMahon and Maurice A. Donahue schools. A second component would examine replacing boilers at Dean Technical High School. If approved, the order would grant Mayor Joshua Garcia and the City Treasurer authority to borrow the $275,000.
The order further stated that “the mayor is authorized to contract for and expend any state aid available for the project; and that the mayor is allowed to take any other action necessary or convenient to carry out this project.” The council must approve changes to any bond.
McGiverin said Garcia initially recommended bonding for the study, but that it was not his intention to borrow money for this. Garcia will explore using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding or other options of funding for the study.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority invited the city to participate in an accelerated repair program that when completed would reimburse Holyoke 80 percent of the study, leaving a $55,000 tab remaining for the city. This will be discussed further at a future City Council meeting.