The park has covered pavilions, picnic tables, sports areas, grills, a playground and domesticated animals that visitors can feed.
SOUTH HADLEY – The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has awarded $250,000 to Buttery Brook Park, according to Town Administrator Paul Beecher.
“It’s a very welcome surprise,” said James Reidy, superintendent of the Department of Public Works in South Hadley and vice president of the Friends of Buttery Brook Park. “We’re going to be working with the Recreation Department to decide how to use this grant.”
Buttery Brook Park is a leafy natural setting that includes covered pavilions, picnic tables, sports areas, grills, a playground and domesticated animals that visitors can feed. It’s at 123 Willimansett St. (Route 33), and is open April through November.
The park is “a little gem,” said Andy Rogers, director of the Recreation Department in South Hadley.
He said the park, whose land was deeded to the town in 1959, no longer has any water-based entertainment, so that might be an option.
A swimming pool was demolished a few years ago. Even before the demolition, the town had applied to the state for funding to create a wading pool or spray park. Nothing came of that application.
Then, in June of this year, the DCR got in touch with the town to encourage it to apply again. Rogers rushed to complete the application process by the deadline, and his efforts were rewarded. “It’s really exciting,” he said.
“We’ve been given no timetable to spend the money, so we’re going to sit down and talk about it.”
He keeps coming back to the idea of a water facility. “We’re a pretty good-sized town,” he said, “and the Spray Park at the Beachgrounds is very, very heavily used. Residents would enjoy having a second place like it in town.
“Whatever we do,” said Rogers, “the $250,000 will be put to good use.”