BCC Announces Community Education Workshops

• Mosaic Butterfly Garden Stake with instructor Lisa Mendel: Wednesday, March 11, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. in BCC Room K118. Cost: $50. 
• Mosaic Stepping Stone with instructor Lisa Mendel: Thursday, April 9, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Mendel's Stained Glass Studio, 1 East Hoosac Street, Adams, Mass. Cost: $40. 
• Landscape Painting with instructor Leila DiGirolamo: Saturdays, April 18 and May 9, 12 – 3 p.m. in BCC Room K118. Cost: $65. 

• Basic Dinner Party with instructor Jill Weinberg: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $65 
• Beginner’s Flower Cupcake Decorating with instructor Melissa Albano: Saturdays, March 7-28, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $145. 
• Quick and Easy Dinners with instructor Jill Weinberg: Tuesday, March 10, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $65. 
• Brunch Fun with instructor Jill Weinberg: Tuesday, April 7, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $65. 
• Chicken Every Day with instructor Jill Weinberg: Tuesday, May 5, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $65. 

• Free Choke Saver Training
  • Session 1: Monday, Jan. 12, 10 – 11 a.m. in BCC’s Susan B. Anthony Center, Room G12 
  • Session 2: Monday, Feb. 23, 10 – 11 a.m. at Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Rd., Great Barrington, Mass. 
  • Session 3: Wednesday, March 25, 10 – 11 a.m. at Freight Yard Pub, 1 Furnace St, Building 3, North Adams, Mass. 
• Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License (CSL) Exam Prep with Construction Supervisor Training LLC Staff 
  • Session 1: Tuesdays, Jan. 27 – March 10, 6 – 9:30 p.m. in BCC’s Melville Hall, Room 213. Cost: $525. 
  • Session 2: Tuesdays, April 14 – May 26, 6 – 9:30 p.m. in BCC’s Melville Hall, Room 213. Cost: $525. 
• Getting Paid to Talk: An Introduction to Voice Over with Voice Coaches Staff 
  • Session 1: Monday, March 2, 6:30 – 9 p.m. in BCC’s Susan B. Anthony Center, Room G12. Cost: $50. 
  • Session 2: Monday, May 4, 6:30 – 9 p.m. in BCC’s Susan B. Anthony Center, Room G12. Cost: $50. 
• ServSafe Training Certification with instructor Nancy Ruderman 
  • Session 1: Tuesday and Thursday, March 3 and 5, 5:30 – 9 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $185. 
  • Session 2: Monday and Wednesday, May 4 and 6, 5:30 – 9 p.m. in the BCC Kitchen. Cost: $185. 

• Regulate and Restore: Nervous System Regulation for Trying Times with instructor Rose Hedreen, LICSW: Thursdays, Feb. 5 – 26, 5:30 – 7 p.m. in BCC Room G12. Cost: $65. 
• Unlock Your Mind: Self-hypnosis for Focus, Calm and Confidence with instructor Victoria Layden, Monday, March 9, 5 – 7 p.m. in BCC’s Susan B. Anthony Center, Room G12. Cost: $30. 
• Healthy Habits, Hypnotist Style: Making Good Choices Automatic with instructor Victoria Layden, Monday, March 30, 5 – 7 p.m. in BCC’s Susan B. Anthony Center, Room G12. Cost: $30. 

Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said.