SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The city of Springfield has announced new upgrades are underway for a local park this afternoon. 22News explains new installations will improve pedestrian safety and make the park more accessible to the public.
Woman struck and killed by hit and run driver near Springfield cemetery “We’re hoping that’ll keep the kids safe, they have a place to go,” said Lower Liberty Heights Neighborhood Council President, Gladys Rivera.
Many in Springfield Tuesday are hopeful new sidewalk and crosswalk installations will provide a safer walking route to Gurdon Bill Park in the Lower Liberty Heights neighborhood of Springfield.
Construction continues along Liberty Street between Genesee Street and Haywood Street.
“This corner is so heavily used with the PVTA, the school bus specifically during the school, where you have a bus stop here across the street and at all four corners of the street, it been plagued with multiple accidents,” said Rivera.
“You know they don’t respect the light, they just go by and some kids are crossing from that neighborhood and have to stop because people are in a rush,” Lower Liberty Heights Vice President, Edurdo Rivera.
More than $720,000 in ARPA funding is going towards addressing the communities safety concerns. The park is also receiving other upgrades, including tree planting and trimming, as well as the removal of hazardous trees. The city was awarded $12 million total for other improvements in other parts of Springfield.
And to improve pedestrian safety even further, there’ll be new signage and flashing lights on the corner of Liberty and Genesee Street.
“We’re happy to be doing that and getting that completed in advance of the work we are doing in the parks,” said Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management Director, Tom Ashe.
A new skate and bike park and spray pad are also coming to Gurdon Bill Park by September 2025.
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