The Conservation Commission members will also weigh in on the debate over opening the gates.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — While the City Council is mulling whether to open Kirvin Park's back gate, a neighbor has come out in opposition.

 

City Councilor at Large Kathleen Amuso filed a petition on behalf of a constituent to open the gate.

 

The constituent is handicapped and has trouble walking across the playing fields to access the rear portion of the park. The gate stops vehicles in a parking area closer to Williams Street and limits traffic to the back.

 

However, both the Maintenance and Parks Departments have opposed opening it because previously vehicle access back there led to damage to the playing fields at night.

 

On Thursday, Kathleen Connor, whose property abuts Kirvin Park, stressed her objection to the Conservation Commission, which has jurisdiction over some of the park's land.

 

"I have major issues if this gate is open," Connor said. "I just think it would create such a negative environment."

 

She said even with the gates open snowmobilers and ATVers are driving in the park and often stopped and congregating. Connor says if the gates are open, even more people will be accessing the area late at night. That concern echoed what Parks and Open Space Manager James McGrath told the City Council earlier this month.

 

"If you do that, you are just creating a place for teenagers to go. They will drink. They will do drugs. They will have sex," Connor said.

 

At the City Council meeting, council Vice President Christopher Connell suggested security cameras. Connor, however, says that wouldn't work because the teenagers would just destroy them. She said she'd like to see a "no ATV use" restriction enforced.

 

"It is not enforced with the all-terrain vehicles," she said.

 

The Conservation Commission didn't weigh in on Thursday as Chairman James Conant brought the issues to the board's attention for the first time. Conant says he hopes to hear a lot of input before the board takes a stance.

 

"I'm looking for neighborhood input and stakeholder input as well," Conant said.

 

In other business, the Conservation Commission is also looking to clarify lease agreements with the Controy Pavilion. Conant said there was confusion recently over whether or not the pavilion's rental included the lawn area along the lake. Conant said a group has rented the pavilion for a large event and when they arrived that sunny day, there was a dispute with the people who were already using the lawn area. That dispute eventually led to police being called.

 

"Our initial thought was that parkland can't be included," he said.

 

Commissioner Thomas Sakshaug said one alternative would be to put a fence up to separate the rented area from the park, but he has "mixed feelings about doing it." The question centers on the use and rental of the building versus public park access.

 

In more formal business, the commission gave Verizon Wireless the OK to place a roof-mounted antenna on the Berkshire Crossing shopping center. The antenna will rise from the roof of the stretch of store that includes Staples and in the rear there will be an 8-by-8 equipment area. That equipment area is in wetlands so it will be elevated above flood hazard.

 

The commission approved a fence being installed on a residential site of Reuter Avenue and a commercial site on Lyman Street. 

 

The commission also had no objections two projects that were already done as well. Ribco on Dalton Avenue filled in potholes in its gravel parking lot with more gravel. It did not have a permit and the parking lot is in the floodplain. The commission agreed that since the gravel was only filling holes where gravel used to be, there was no problem with the project. The commission also noted an emergency cleanup on box culverts on Cadwell Avenue. Conservation Agent Rob Van Der Kar said there were two culverts there and where they met created an abutment.

 

"It did seem like it was an emergency situation. They ultimately removed the material and the work has been done," he said.