Pittsfield 2025 Summer Playground Program

07:46AM / Thursday, July 03, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program announces the return of the Summer Playground Program for 2025.

The Summer Playground Program is a free, six-week-long program held at Clapp Park, Durant Park and The Common which offers a wide range of recreation activities to Pittsfield children between the ages of 6 to 13. This year's program will run from July 7 to Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at each designated location at no cost.

If there is inclement weather, the program will move from each park to the Berkshire Family YMCA Pittsfield Branch located at 292 North Street. Details of these changes will be shared on the Pittsfield Parks and Recreation Facebook and Instagram pages.

During the program, Playground Leaders will create safe, supervised and fun-filled outdoor activities including sports, games, arts and crafts and nature activities.

In addition, the Recreation Program is collaborating with various local organizations to offer the following:

The Berkshire Museum's Mobile Museum will visit one of the parks each week.
The Berkshire Athenaeum will be offering summer reading related activities throughout the program at each park.
Pittsfield Public Schools will be providing and serving FREE lunches daily at each park.
The Westside Legends will be hosting a build and design day at all three parks in preparation for their Sweet Gee Soap Box Derby.

For more information, contact Jennifer VanBramer, Recreation and Special Events Coordinator, at jvanbramer@cityofpittsfield.org or (413) 499-9371.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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