PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Philanthropic support has boosted the city's plans to revive long-cherished days of outdoor ice skating.

On Tuesday, Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath told the Parks Commission that the Feigenbaum Foundation boosted the effort by $125,000. He sees this as the kind of facility where people make core memories.

"They're excited about this. They see a real opportunity for this to be one more fun thing that's offered in Pittsfield," he said.

"In the wintertime, a lot of folks around here tend to hibernate, sort of close themselves off. But this is a wonderful place and our parks are wonderful places to continue to make memories, even in the wintertime. So how do we get folks into some of our parks in a four-season kind of way? An ice rink, I think, is the way to do that."

McGrath revealed the effort to buy a 50-foot by 100-foot refrigerated mobile ice skating rink for the parks in October. He hopes to have fully committed funding in the next few weeks to present the project for approval.

The city has raised $175,000 from two philanthropic organizations for the $250,000 effort and is eying Clapp Park as an initial location.  

"I like the idea of Clapp because of the Winter Carnival. I also like the idea of The Common with all the restaurants and the downtown area," Commissioner Cliff Nilan said.

"I mean, those are two good choices."