Crane Park's Mini-Pitch is Open for Fun
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City officials celebrated the opening of the new Crane Parks mini-pitch on Tuesday.
Players from several local soccer programs, community leaders, and project partners gathered to kick the ceremonial first pitch into the goal on the new facility.
Back in May, the Parks Commission endorsed a project to place a mini-pitch over the aging, cracked concrete surface of Crane Park's former rink. A mini-pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates.
"The mini-pitch system will create a space that encourages physical activity and welcomes play through teamwork. The space will serve as a location for the community to gather for outdoor fun and recreation for many years ahead. They'll be able to put their cell phones down for a few minutes and actually engage in some great outdoor entertainment," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.
The project was funded entirely by grants. In June, the City Council accepted the gift of the mini-pitch facility, valued at over $100,000, and $10,000 from the Mill Town Foundation to ready the site.
The facility has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together. Cleats are not allowed on the surface, but sneakers and other sports shoes are.
The mini-pitch system came with a light tower and two LED lamps, but Crane Park does not have power, so it won't be illuminated. That could change in the future, officials said.
The pitch is open for the community every day, but Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath reminded users to be mindful as they play as well as to respect the pitch and the neighborhood it resides in.
McGrath said the idea grew out of conversations with Andy Wrba, program director for the Mill Town Foundation.
"There's been a deep, deep soccer community in Pittsfield and throughout the Berkshires for a long time. I've seen it as a multi-generational way for communities to connect and pass down lessons and connect families and everyone. And a big part of that has been the West State Soccer League," Wrba said.
He said the goal is to keep the space active and encourage outdoor recreation and youth engagement.
McGrath said that with the partnership from Mill Town and the city's park commission they were able to bring the pitch to the finish line.
"It's a testament to our ability to bring new and unique facilities into our city that accommodate youth sports. And it really, at the end of the day, is about promotion of soccer. And we are just so pleased that our partners all came together and that we were able to get this mini-pitch completed," McGrath said.
Other contributors as well were the U.S. Soccer Foundation, who provided the mini-pitch system, surface materials, and installation assistance at no cost to the city, as well as Massachusetts Youth Soccer who partnered with Pittsfield to bring the system to the city.
"All these contributions made this project possible, and highlights how our community continues through public and private partnerships to provide new facilities and amenities for all to enjoy," Marchetti said.
Tamie Endow, community engagement manager with Massachusetts Youth Soccer, stressed that children should have a welcoming place to play and feel included.
"We believe every player counts, and every child deserves the chance to play, feel welcome, and experience the joy of being part of a team," she said. "Providing places like this close to home makes that possible. One of soccer's greatest qualities is how easy it begins. A ball, a few friends, and a place to play can make an ordinary afternoon in Crane Park a memorable one.
"This mini-pitch creates this type of opportunity here in Pittsfield."
Endow dedicated the pitch to the community and the kids enjoying it on Tuesday.
"We hope this pitch becomes a place where children discover soccer, friends gather after school, and players of all ages and abilities may learn from one another. A place to practice new skills and build their self-confidence. These moments truly matter," she said. "Through play, our young people learn to communicate, collaborate, and support one another. They form friendships and develop a sense of belonging that can extend long beyond the game."
Parks Commission Chair Simon Muil encouraged organizations interested in booking the pitch to contact the Parks Commission and hopes that when the space is not reserved for organized use, everyone can come out and use it at their convenience.
"As somebody who was brought up in England, I have to say it warms my heart to see additional soccer facilities," Muil said. "I think this is going to be a great resource for the Parks Commission.
"We're really into the idea of getting new facilities, new programs, new possibilities for kids to get outside and, as somebody mentioned earlier, get them off their cell phones."
Tags: Pittsfield, soccer, youth,
