PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Cost estimates for Pontoosuc Lake Park improvements are higher than expected but the project is being bid this week. American Rescue Plan Act funds are expected fill the gap.

Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath reported this to the Parks Commission last week. Once bidding is complete, the city plans to get right to construction.

"The cost estimate for the project came back higher than was anticipated when the final designs were completed. We got the estimate and it was several hundred thousand over budget," he said.

"So there was an appeal made to the city's American Rescue Plan and some additional funding was put toward this project."

The 23-acre parcel on Hancock Road, or the south side, will be focused on first. This area is being targeted for passive recreation, with the north side encouraged for swimming to protect resource areas and reduce conflict between swimmers and boaters.

The city had hoped for phase one to come in at about $500,000, which was secured through a matching grant from the state Executive Office of Energy Environmental Affairs.

Any overage above the budgeted amount will be covered by ARPA funding.

"We didn't need to close the park for some summer months and sort of displace people that like to enjoy that park," McGrath pointed out.