AVON – Chair of the Board of Selectmen Eric S. Beckerman announced today that Avon has received a nearly $1.5 million state grant to expand and improve the resilience of D.W. Field Park.
The $1,455,350 Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant will support planning for and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the park, as well as the expansion of its footprint.
“D.W. Field Park provides the greatest regional opportunity for recreation and relief from the summer heat. However, climate change, in the form of longer periods of heat and more intense storms, is disrupting the park and the lives of its users,” said Selectmen Chair Beckerman. “This project will allow us to engage the community and park users to plan on how to address these challenges and user needs while expanding the park in Avon to help meet those needs.”
In late August, the Governor’s office announced that Avon’s Urban Park for People: Resilient D.W. Field Park project would be funded. Avon has now received that grant agreement and begun the work. At a future Town Meeting, residents will be asked to approve the land acquisition, funded completely from using the MVP grant and a match from the Wildlands Trust.
Thirty acres of land on the west side of D.W. Field Park in Avon will provide an opportunity for additional recreation, conservation, and green infrastructure. Avon is kicking off a master planning process for that parcel of land and the adjacent D.W. Field Park in Avon.
The Town of Avon will own the new park parcel, while the existing D.W. Field Park is owned and managed by the City of Brockton. “This acquisition contributes to the Avon/Brockton partnership to serve our communities’ recreation and resilience needs. In the heat of the summer, when other areas can be miserably hot, the park continues to serve the needs of our communities,” said Selectmen Chair Beckerman.
The project is being done in partnership with the City of Brockton; Wildlands Trust, which is supporting the park expansion; Old Colony Planning Council, which will lead community engagement on planning for park resilience. Also participating is the Conway School, which is creating a concept park area master plan that reflects community engagement and helps provide options. The Manomet Center will be overseeing habitat assessment.
Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan said, “D.W. Field Park has been a vitally important, and beautiful, green space in the City of Brockton that residents have used for recreation, exercise, peaceful contemplation, and education for almost a century. The enhanced expansion into our neighboring Town of Avon will increase usage of the park well into the next century. I am extremely grateful to Avon Town Administrator Mr. Jonathan Beder and the Avon Board of Selectmen for their partnership. I also want to thank our state benefactors for the funding of this dedicated expansion, as well as Wildlands Trust, Old Colony Planning Council, and the Conway School for their collaboration on this important community project.”
“To be able to do so much park and resilience work at no cost to Avon’s taxpayers allows us to serve our community and protect and expand a vital resource without compromising on Avon’s other needs,” said Town Administrator Beder.
Karen Grey, Wildlands Trust Executive Director, added “We are so pleased to expand our D.W. Field Park partnership into Avon. The Field Park Initiative is an ambitious collaborative project to develop and implement a Master Plan for the revitalization of Field Park. In partnership with the City of Brockton, the Town of Avon, the Old Colony Planning Council, and many local partners, Wildlands Trust is leading this community-based initiative to:
- Improve ecological functioning and climate resilience within the Park.
- Address infrastructure improvement needs.
- Upgrade recreational amenities.
- Implement education and outreach for youth and adults.
Mary Waldron, Executive Director of the Old Colony Planning Council, staff, and Avon Delegate, Frank Staffier and Alternate, John Costa, we are excited to be working with the Town of Avon on this truly regional and public-private partnership. The Town’s efforts to preserve and protect resources are to be congratulated and emulated. OCPC is proud to be a strong partner and looks forward to working with the Town of Avon.
For more information, please contact Town Administrator Beder at 508-588-0414 ext. 1020 or JBeder@avon-ma.gov.
