Announced $2 million in grants and improvements to local parks for Hampden County

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – State Senator Adam Gomez joined the Healey-Driscoll Administration to announce $2 million in funding to upgrade Hampden County parks.

The growth of emergency medical services in western Massachusetts

The grants are part of a $27.8 million statewide initiative to improve parks and protect open spaces across Massachusetts that will benefit 54 communities.

Grants from the Executive Office of Energy and Environment (EEA) will help municipalities and land trusts protect land for outdoor recreation, climate change mitigation and biodiversity. “These grants will have a huge impact on local communities, transforming underused areas into vibrant recreational spaces for generations to come,” said Senator Gomez. “As our cities become increasingly crowded, it is critical that we preserve areas that provide both recreation and relaxation.”

Hampden County will receive the following grants:

Chicopee: $500,000 Parkland Acquisition and Renovation Community (PARC) grant for improvements Sarah Jane Park. The project will modernize soccer fields and baseball stadiums, add bleachers, a publicly accessible playground, picnic tables and a skate park, and improve pedestrian paths and irrigation systems.
Springfield: $500,000 PARC grant to Stage II of the Blunt Park investmentwhich includes improvements to the park entrance, parking lot, accessible walking trails, outdoor exercise equipment and softball fields, as well as landscaping and tree plantings.
Springfield: Grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the amount of USD 1,000,000 to: Warehouse Parkwhich will feature an accessible splash pad, playground, restrooms, softball diamond, picnic areas, walking trails and landscaping improvements.

More information about statewide grants can be found on the EEA website.

Local news headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated and community programming in Western Massachusetts. Watch 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports and video streaming, go to WWLP.