Located along the southern shores of Pontoosuc Lake, Pittsfield’s Pontoosuc Lake Park is one of the city’s most beloved public spaces. The park offers dramatic views of Mount Greylock and the surrounding Berkshire Mountains and has a long history of providing public access to the lake for a wide range of recreational activities.

In 2021, redevelopment efforts for the park began with a robust public engagement process led by the Pittsfield Park Commission. Following a series of community input sessions, a final master plan was unveiled that sought to reintroduce many of the park’s former activities while significantly improving accessibility, visitor safety, and environmental resilience.

The park is comprised of two distinct parcels. The larger parcel, located along the southern shoreline, includes an existing state-managed boat ramp and is characterized by a steep, wooded hillside that separates the upper parking areas from the lake’s edge. The smaller parcel, situated directly across the lake, features a raised lawn area supported by a concrete retaining wall at the water’s edge. This site was formerly home to a YMCA building and historically served as a hub of lake-related activity.

The overall redevelopment was divided into two construction phases. Phase I, completed in 2025, focused on improvements to the southern parcel. Key elements included the construction of a 300-foot-long elevated boardwalk spanning wetland resource areas at the base of the hillside, providing a fully accessible pathway along the lake’s edge. The boardwalk connects to a larger viewing deck at the base of a grand stairway that descends from the upper parking lot. Additional improvements included accessible pathways, seating areas, and picnic spaces that strengthen connections between the upper and lower areas of the park.

A comprehensive shoreline planting plan was also implemented as part of Phase I, aimed at restoring native habitat and stabilizing the lake’s banks, which had experienced significant erosion from boat wake activity.

Phase II, which will focus on improvements to the northern parcel of the park, is anticipated to go out to bid in 2026.