Construction is underway on a new $15 million sports and recreation complex in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Located on a 22-acre field behind the John J. Duggan Academy on Wilbraham Road in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood, Duggan Park will have a field for football, soccer, and other sports. There will be a baseball/softball diamond, an oval track, two basketball courts, bleachers that seat 1,500 people, restrooms, a concession stand, picnic tables, field lighting and a parking lot.
The entire complex will be built out in phases over three years, said city parks director Pat Sullivan.
“We’re excited about it,” he said.
Funding to pay for the project came from a $30 million bond authorization that was approved last November by a unanimous vote of the City Council.
Ward 4 City Councilor Malo Brown praised the plans for the new sports complex.
“This is something that is really needed,” he said.
Additional money from the bond authorization will be used for improvements planned at two other city parks – Greenleaf and Forest.
Another portion of the bond, $6 million, is for street and sidewalk projects. It will supplement funds the city has already budgeted for this work, said Springfield DPW Director Chris Cignoli.
“We received $1.5 million in funding so this will bring us to $7.5 million,” he said.
He said with the additional money available it will go a long way to help reduce the backlog of streets and sidewalks that city engineers have identified as being in most need of repair.
