Sled Library Coming to Pittsfield's Clapp Park

The sled library would hold up to about 20 sleds.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Clapp Park will soon have a community-led sled library to spread the joy of winter activities.

Last week, the Parks Commission granted resident Lindsey Marion permission to place a free sled box near the scoreboard at the park. It will hold a collection of sleds that visitors can borrow and use on the property's impressive hill while fostering community engagement.

Now, the city just needs snow.

"It's just a box that we would put sleds in. They would be labeled to return for the sled library. Volunteers would go by and make sure that the sleds are picked up and put in the box a couple of times a week," Marion explained.

"And we've gotten donations from community members, other organizations have reached out and offered to donate sleds but we just wanted to get approval before we started collecting copious amounts of sleds at my house."

The box, made out of wood with a sign on top, is estimated to fit around 20 sleds. A sign made by RSI Signs reads "Clapp Park Little Sled Library" and below the box says "Take a sled, have some fun and please return when you are done (Use at your own risk.)"

It is not yet installed.

Marion, who lives on Oxford Street, said one of her biggest annoyances is transporting sleds to the park even though it is close to her house.

"The last thing I want to do is lug all of the sleds and the kids across the street so I just think it would be nice for people to just maybe bring their kids and all of their clothes and have a sled that they can use while they're there then return it," she explained.

"I know there's a lot of kids in our neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods that could probably benefit from something like this."

"It's normally a revenue split if we fronted some of the costs but this would be no revenue for us, but we would have it for free for folks to use."

There are a couple of different locations at the lake being considered for the kiosk.

Counting Birds Now a Christmas Tradition

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:38AM / Saturday, December 28, 2024

The bird counts are important in collecting data for ornithologists and conservationists. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A team of birders will be heading out across North County on Saturday to participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count.

 

The count has become a tradition for many over the last 125 years while providing valuable environmental insights for researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies, and others. 

 

Participating in this wildlife census allows people to observe and interact with birds in their local environments directly and can inspire a deeper connection to nature, instilling a desire to protect it, said Tom Tyning, former Hoffmann Bird Club president and longtime Christmas Bird Count participant. 

 

Bird watching is the most popular leisure time activity in the United States, said David Schaller, North County count compiler and a leader of Saturday's team. 

 

"It's a way to be outside. It's a way to connect with nature. It's good exercise. It's good mentally — you're trying to look at a bird and figure out what kind of bird it is," he said.

 

"For some participants in our group, it's a family tradition that is as important to them as other Christmas traditions."

 

This one-day activity is far more than that for many. It introduces new participants to a wealth of knowledge in environmental and natural science and can transform into a lifelong hobby because of its vast number of topics, Tyning said.