As summer begins, Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello is highlighting newly renovated pocket parks.
With dozens of pocket parks hidden throughout the more than 11-square mile city, many are getting upgrades thanks to American Rescue Plan Act funding. The city received $42 million to bolster economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic—a peak time for outdoor recreation. Speaking at Beman Park Tuesday, Mantello, who has a son with disabilities, says it’s paramount that parks are accessible for all.
“The new playgrounds have the rubber matting. If you take a look at one of our old pocket parks, like on North Lake Ave, the back of Frear Park, you can't even get a stroller in there,” Mantello said. “You can't get a wheelchair in. Now, the new parks have that rubber matting, which is so critical for even elderly people if they want to sit on a bench.”
Enhancements to the park adjacent to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute include a new dog park, an updated monument, and a refinished basketball court.
The city is also using ARPA funding to revive the Knickerbacker ice rink in Lansingburgh and support local businesses.
Mantello, a Republican, says restoring the city’s greenspaces is part of her plan to make Troy safer, cleaner, and greener.
“The more we can keep people active, the more that we can, you know, enjoy Troy and not, you know, be harmful to Troy,” Mantello said. “That's the message we're getting out. The culture here in Troy is beginning to change.”
Congressman Paul Tonko, a Democrat from the 20th District, says ensuring that municipalities have the funding to support the health and wellbeing of their residents is good for the health of the nation at large.
“I think it's important for us to make certain that we continue on with the concept of a budget being our statement of our values. And we value quality of life,” Tonko said. “We value the response of a public health crisis to a public health crisis, and we value the growth in the economy and it's proving itself by the data that’s collected now, and the stats are clearly indicating that we had the best comeback of any nation in the industrialized world with our COVID effort.”
Council President Sue Steele lives across from the park. The Democrat says the $2 million allocated to parks was implemented with public input.
“The dogs of the neighborhood are very happy,” Steele said. “We have small dog park and large dog park, and they are used especially on Sundays. There are certain people who every Sunday, I see them coming out, and I do do other things other than staring at the park. I do want you to know that, but I'm just so excited to see it in use that I can't help myself.”
Through ARPA funding, the city has also been able to improve the Central Little League field on 7th Ave., which received $200,000 in ARPA funding for a new announcer’s booth and pavilion.