PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Pontoosuc Lake Park in Pittsfield has some of the best views in all of Berkshire County, and now the city is hoping to turn it into a major attraction by starting the process of developing a master plan to renovate the park.

“This is such an important park in the city of Pittsfield,” parks and open space program manager, Jim McGrath, said. “And for years it’s suffered from deferred maintenance and lack of investment, and now is our opportunity to really shine a light on this park.” 

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Pittsfield is in the process of creating a master plan to renovate Pontoosuc Lake Park
  • The park was one of the most popular swimming spots in the city in the 60s and 70s
  • Any new facilities will have to contend with the steep terrain and nearby boat ramp
  • The city launched a community survey and is planning public input meetings for the fall.

Any new facilities built at the park will have to contend with the steep terrain and the boat ramp right around the corner.

The hope is to return the park to something like what it was in the 60s and 70s, when it was one of the most popular swimming spots in the city.

“We had lifeguards and there was a real formal swimming beach and a bathhouse, and over the years, many of those elements have gone away,” McGrath said. “We’re really looking to understand how the community uses the park now.”

The city is launching a community survey and is planning some public input meetings for this fall as well. Much of what will be in the master plan will be influenced by what the community wants.

“We really want to understand what people think, what their hopes and dreams are for the park,” said McGrath. “And we will take that and dissect that, and then turn that into a few schemes for future development.”

The community input survey was posted to the city’s parks department website on Tuesday, and the goal is to gather enough information to have the master plan ready to go by the end of the year.