Great Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – January 5, 2026

The Great Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission met on Monday, January 5, 2026. The commission approved prior minutes, considered three facility-use requests, reviewed the Open Space and Recreation Plan survey results, and discussed dog-leash enforcement in town parks. No agenda or minutes accompanied the transcript, so this summary is based solely on the meeting recording.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved by voice vote; the absence of Mr. Norton was noted.

Facility-Use Requests (Public Testimony)

• Youth cheerleading – Hoosie Dome: A youth cheerleading representative requested use of the Hoosie Dome on Mondays and Fridays, 5–7 p.m., for eight weeks of sessions from March 16 through May 22. She said she modified the dates after talking with basketball, which has used the space on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for 10 years, and she stressed that the cheerleaders did not want to take space from basketball. The $180-per-child fee for the 16-session program would cover safety mats, insurance, and T-shirts; organizers receive no stipend; financial assistance is planned; and the program will end with a free showcase. The commission approved the request unanimously and asked for a complete date list and proof of insurance.
• New England Club Baseball: Jed Drake (Babson College club coach) and Commissioner Steve Pinner requested use of the town field for a New England Club Baseball Association event. Pinner said NECBA has existed since 2001 as a 501(c)(3), had 16 active member schools in the past season, and charges about $2,500 per member per school, including $700 dues and umpire-fee assessments. The April 18–19 event would bring four college club teams—Babson, Merrimack, Stevens Tech, and SUNY New Paltz—for six games (four Saturday, two Sunday), with a second field needed on Saturday. Applicants said they had no objection to the proposed $300 field-use fee and would build it into team costs. The board approved the application unanimously with the $300 fee, asked them to market the games to Little League programs, and directed them to coordinate logistics with DPW head Joseph Aberdale.
• Great Barrington Land Conservancy: Christine Ward requested use of the forest trails and lakeside trail for a free guided full-moon hike on the evening of February 1. The event would be co-led by student representative Trevor Fossman, include cocoa and tea, and require registration so weather changes could be communicated. They would be cautious about ice safety if lake access is possible. The commission approved the request unanimously.

Discussion Items

• Open Meeting Law compliance: Members checked that signed affidavits acknowledging receipt of materials were on file.
• Budget guidance: DPW head Joseph Aberdale reported that the town had asked for a level-funded budget and that past park and recreation programs and materials have been funded from internal accounts; he advised not submitting anything over a level-funded budget.
• Open Space and Recreation Plan survey: A planning-board representative reported 437 survey responses and a Jan. 10 community meeting at Mason Library, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Top concerns were lack of seating, bathrooms, lack of recreation information, ADA/transit access, and parking. Park and playground quality was rated average. Most-needed improvements, in order, were bathrooms, maintenance, ADA features, recycling/trash maintenance, and seating. Lake Mansfield was the most-used recreation opportunity at 54%, followed by the Housatonic River Walk, Bear Town, Monument Mountain, and the Housatonic Rail Trail; McAllister Park drew 23%, Babisky 10%, Old Maid 7%, Eagle Park 6%, Olympian Meadows 5%, Grove Street 4%, Dewey 3%, and Memorial Field 3%. Most popular activities were hiking/walking (81%), gardening (40%), water activities (37%), and bicycling (28%); community gardening/farming, playgrounds (17%), and court sports (12%) also appeared in the responses. Respondents also wanted more benches, free family events, upkeep, quiet places, shade, picnic areas, better information, a 'town square' park, a Giggle Park refresh, a courthouse park, a dog park, an indoor ice rink, outdoor pickleball courts, better Housatonic River access, protected bike lanes, and a walking/biking connection between Housatonic village and Great Barrington. The biggest barriers were limited biking/walking access, lack of amenities, lack of information, lack of transit access, and lack of parking. Preferred uses of funds were hiking/walking trails, bike paths, playgrounds, community gardens, and birding opportunities. There was strong support for protecting scenic areas, wildlife habitat, farmland, existing parks, and improving river access.
• Unleashed dogs: A commissioner reported complaints about unleashed dogs at Lake Mansfield and the Housatonic River Walk. Board members agreed the existing leash bylaw is not being enforced and that the issue is town-wide. Some noted that off-leash exercise can be valuable, citing Central Park's early-morning off-leash hours. The discussion also covered past dog-park proposals that failed over neighbor concerns, the $30,000–$40,000 cost of fencing Olympian Meadows, and the need for education, signage, and enforcement consequences. The consensus was to bring the matter to the Select Board and the new town manager as a broader policy and enforcement issue.
• OSRP grant prioritization: The board agreed to discuss project prioritization with Chris when OSRP grant funding is addressed, likely at a future meeting. A report noted the Lake Mansfield Task Force had not met.

Key Outcomes

• Approved youth cheerleading use of the Hoosie Dome for Monday/Friday sessions, 5–7 p.m., March 16–May 22, with exact dates to be provided to the secretary.
• Approved New England Club Baseball's field use for April 18–19 with a $300 fee; applicant to coordinate with Joseph Aberdale and market the event.
• Approved Great Barrington Land Conservancy's Feb. 1 full-moon hike.
• Agreed to refer dog-leash enforcement to the Select Board and new town manager and to address OSRP grant project priorities at a future meeting.
• No additional public comment was offered; the meeting adjourned.