Pittsfield ConCom OKs Shrubbery at Pontoosuc Lake
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Conservation Commission OKed some new wetland restoration plantings at Pontoosuc Lake Park during its recent meeting.
This will add shrubbery to the bordering vegetated wetland at 40 Hancock Road. Pontoosuc Lake Park is the subject of a phased project to revitalize its north and south sections.
Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath presented a request for a "slight" modification to the previously permitted planting plan for the south side of the park, which saw the addition of a new boardwalk and access stairs last year.
This will add about 50 native button bush shrubs to the wetlands border. The area once had a beach with sand and was a "very significant" portion of the project.
"We reclaimed the wetland, as opposed to trying to turn it back into a beach, which it doesn't want to be; it wants to be a [bordering vegetated wetland,]" McGrath said.
Mostly herbaceous plants were cited in that area, but park maintenance mistakenly mowed down the restoration at the end of last summer. There is now a "no mow zone" sign marking the area.
"I was out there today at the site. Many of these species, which are on the existing planting plan, are popping back. We are seeing the ferns come back. We are seeing evidence of the sedges coming back, some of the iris as well, but it has been kind of a cool spring, so I think things are taking a little bit of time to get going," McGrath said.
"I'm pretty confident that we will see some pretty good establishment, even though this was mowed down in late summer."
He explained that the vision is to have a dense restoration area with various heights of shrubs and herbaceous plantings that also obscure the boardwalk's iron superstructure. The button bushes will be placed 6 feet apart and grow between 4 and 8 feet tall.
The shrubs were donated by a Westside resident.
Last year, community members argued that erosion control plantings impeded access at Pontoosuc Lake, four easy access points were proposed, and a site visit with the Conservation Commission revealed that some of the bank erosion was worse than they believed. Stairs were then proposed for that area instead.
Pontoosuc Lake Park was acquired by the city in 1913 and has not received substantial improvements since the 1960s. Historic pictures of the park show beach facilities, ferry boats, and large slides.
The improvements are part of a long-range open space and recreation plan for the city that was developed in the early 2000s, and a master plan that was endorsed by the commission in 2022.
The north side of the park is being eyed for swimming, with plans for a beach to replace the concrete wall where people commonly swim, and the south side is targeted for passive recreation, recognizing that boats travel through a narrow channel to reach the ramp.
The ConCom continued an application to rebuild the grandstand at Wahconah Park.
The park's 75-year-old grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners have determined that starting from square one is the best option; a $15 million rebuild is on the table.
The grandstand's new, cost-saving design decouples the bathrooms and concessions into smaller buildings elevated about five feet to meet the 100-year floodplain. An accessible ramp and porch would lead to the structures, and the grandstand would have a slightly narrower footprint.
Tags: conservation commission, lakes, ponds, public parks,
