City of Springfield Parks & Recreation

06/04/2026

🚧 Forest Park Access Alert – Sunday, June 7, 2026 🚧

Due to the IronMan Race, the Route 5 (Longmeadow side) and the lower park access road will be closed from 7 AM–3 PM. See map.

🚗 All vehicle access will be through the main entrance on Sumner Avenue.

🦁 The Zoo in Forest Park will remain open during the event.

🦢 Swan Boats Update:
• Saturday, June 6: Open as scheduled from 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
• Sunday, June 7: Closed due to the Ironman Race

Thank you for your patience, and good luck to all the athletes! 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏊‍♂️

06/02/2026

🏃‍♀️ Blunt Park is back and better than ever!

Yesterday, Mayor Domenic Sarno, state and local officials, and the Parks Department celebrated the official re-opening of the Blunt Park Track & Softball Field following major renovations.

The improvements include:
✅ New accessible entrance & parking lot
✅ Paved ¼-mile walking track
✅ Two renovated softball diamonds
✅ Accessible outdoor fitness equipment
✅ New trees and climate-resilient drainage
✅ Benches, picnic tables, bike racks, fencing, and more

Thanks to funding from the Commonwealth’s PARC Grant Program, CDBG funds, and strong partnerships at every level, this investment enhances quality of life for residents while creating a welcoming space for recreation, fitness, and community connection.

Blunt Park, Springfield’s second-largest park, is now fully open and ready for residents of all ages to enjoy. Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a reality—and to all park users who help keep our parks safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone!

📍 Track entrance located across from 1535 Roosevelt Avenue.

05/29/2026

📣 ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

Due to the weather forecast for tomorrow, Swan Boats at Forest Park will not open on Saturday, May 30.

🦢 Opening Day will now take place Sunday, May 31 at Porter Lake!

We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great summer on the water. 💙

05/28/2026

🦢 Swan Boats are back at Forest Park! 🦢

Looking for a fun weekend activity? The Swan Boats at Porter Lake officially return starting Saturday, May 30!

Grab your family or friends and enjoy a relaxing ride around the lake all summer long. ☀️

📍 Forest Park – Porter Lake
🗓 Saturdays & Sundays
⏰ 11am–6pm (last ride at 5:30pm)
💲 $5 for 30 minutes
🦺 Life vests provided & lifeguards on duty

Each Swan Boat seats up to 4 people and rentals are first come, first served.

Mayor Sarno, Parks Director Tom Ashe, Aquatics Director Joe Federico, and the PBRM team kicked off the season this week and are excited to welcome everyone back to the water after a successful first season last summer.

Come make some summer memories at Forest Park! 🦢💙

05/12/2026

Today, Mayor Sarno, State Representative Bud Williams, Parks Director Tom Ashe, the Upper Hill Neighborhood Council, and community members celebrated the unveiling of the newly renovated Adams Park! 🌳☀️

The project brought major accessibility and recreational upgrades to the park, including:
🏀 Renovated basketball court
🚶 Accessible walking paths and sidewalks
🛝 Improved playground and spray scape
🧺 Accessible picnic tables and pavilion improvements
🌳 New trees, signage, and pedestrian safety enhancements
🚗 New parking lot at the Berlin Street entrance

These improvements are part of Mayor Sarno’s $4 million ARPA investment into neighborhood parks across Springfield, continuing the City’s commitment to improving quality of life and creating safe, welcoming spaces for all residents to enjoy.

Special thanks to our dedicated Parks team, neighborhood partners, and residents for their continued support of Springfield’s parks system!

Read more in the full post below 👇

05/11/2026

📚❄️ Exciting upgrades at the Mason Square Library!

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and PBRM Director Tom Ashe announced completed improvements including a new rooftop chiller, entrance repairs, and upgraded building management systems to better serve residents and keep the library comfortable year-round.

Read more on the original post below! 👇

05/01/2026

⛳️ Huge shoutout to Franconia Golf Course!

We’re proud to share that Franconia Golf Course has been named the 2026 Walter Lowell Public Golf Course Distinguished Service Award Recipient by the Connecticut Section PGA.

This recognition highlights Franconia’s ongoing commitment to quality, affordability, and accessibility for all golfers. It also marks the first time in 17 years that a Massachusetts course has received this honor.

👏 Thank you to our dedicated staff for their continued hard work in making Franconia a premier public golf destination.

Learn more: https://vets-franconia-golf.com and https://www.springfield-ma.gov/park/golf

Springfield’s Franconia Golf Course Named 2026 Walter Lowell Public Golf Course Distinguished Service Recipient

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Executive Director of Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management (PBRM) Tom Ashe, and the team at Franconia Golf Course are proud to announce that Franconia Golf Course has been named the 2026 Walter Lowell Public Golf Course Distinguished Service Award Recipient by the Connecticut Section PGA.

The award is presented annually by the Section to a public golf course for their dedication, promotion, advancement and accessibility to the game of golf.

Franconia Golf Course will be recognized at the annual Walter Lowell PGA Tournament on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

This is the first time in seventeen years that a Massachusetts Course has received this award.

Founded in 1929, the legendary 18-hole championship course was designed by John Van Kleek, Wayne Stiles, and Geoffrey Cornish. In 2025, Franconia underwent extensive upgrades, including a renovated clubhouse, redone bunkers, and the acquisition of modern fairway and green mowers. Despite these premium conditions, Franconia maintains some of the most economical rates in the region.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno states, “Thank you to the Connecticut Section PGA for honoring the great Franconia Golf Course as this year's Walter Lowell Public Golf Course Distinguished Service Award. Franconia- dubbed the ‘country club’ of New England public golf courses recently underwent $1 million in renovations, enhancing the quality of play for golfers of all ages, levels and abilities, including the addition of a specialized single-rider cart designed for golfers with disabilities that allows access to tees and greens without harming the turf. With my Administrations investments in the golf course, not only did Franconia hit record-breaking revenue of nearly $1.2 million last golf season, but a record number of attendees. Thank you to PBRM Tom Ashe, Anthony Kowal, and his team at Franconia Golf Course for their continued hard work in maintaining these beautiful and affordable courses. I’ve always said, we have award winning public golf courses.”

PBRM Tom Ashe states, “On behalf of the Department of Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management, we are deeply appreciative of Connecticut Section PGA selecting Springfield’s Franconia Golf Course as this year's Walter Lowell Public Golf Course Distinguished Service Award, the biggest award a public golf course can achieve. Thank you to Mayor Sarno, for his continued and multifaceted investments in our open spaces and recreational opportunities, including our two renowned public golf courses. Congratulations to all of the managers and staff at Franconia Golf Course on this well-deserved honor.”

To learn more about Springfield’s two public golf courses, Franconia Golf Course and Veterans Memorial Golf Course, please visit: https://vets-franconia-golf.com

04/27/2026

Celebrating Arbor Day and America’s 250th with a Liberty Elm Tree Planting 🌳🇺🇸

On Friday, April 24, 2026, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined Springfield Parks, Buildings & Recreation Management Director Tom Ashe and staff, along with the Springfield Forestry Division, and members of the Springfield Garden Club for a special Liberty Elm tree planting ceremony at Forest Park outside of the Moriarty Senior Center.

The planting celebrated both Arbor Day and the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Members of the Springfield Garden Club, some dressed in period costume, helped plant a Liberty Elm (Ulmus americana 'American Liberty'), a tree known for its strength and resistance to disease. Liberty Trees historically served as important gathering places during the American Revolution and remain a symbol of American independence.

This Liberty Elm was sourced from American elm stock growing on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and another elm from the same stock will be planted next week during the annual Arbor Day celebration with Springfield Public Schools.

Springfield is proud to be recognized as a Tree City USA, and events like this reflect the community’s continued commitment to caring for our parks, preserving history, and investing in the future of our urban forest. 🌳

Thank you to the Springfield Forestry Division, Springfield Garden Club, and all who helped make this special Arbor Day celebration possible.

04/15/2026

⛳️ City of Springfield Golf Courses Now Open for the 2026 Season!⛳️

The City of Springfield Parks Department is excited to announce that both Franconia and Veterans Memorial Municipal Golf Courses are now open for the 2026 season as of today, Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Both 18-hole courses have recently undergone $1 million in renovations, along with significant clubhouse upgrades. Following a record-breaking 2025 season that generated $2.3 million in revenue, these municipal courses continue to offer high-quality, affordable golf for players of all skill levels.

🕖 **Hours of Operation:**
Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m. to dusk
Saturday & Sunday: 6:30 a.m. to dusk

The golf season typically runs for nine months, from early spring through late fall.

Recent investments have enhanced course conditions, modernized clubhouses, expanded youth programming, and improved accessibility with adaptive golf carts—making the game more welcoming for everyone.

For more information, visit: https://vets-franconia-golf.com/
📞 413-787-6467

See you on the course! 🏌️‍♂️

04/13/2026

The Springfield Parks, Buildings & Recreation Management Department was proud to join Mayor Sarno, Sheriff Cocchi, Wellpoint, and our community in honoring hometown hero Steve Athas at Picknelly Field. 🏆⚾

For more than 50 years, Steve has dedicated himself to coaching, mentoring, and supporting generations of Springfield youth through sports and recreation. His commitment to our community — including 48 years at Greenleaf Community Center — has made a lasting impact on countless families across our city.

We are grateful to celebrate Steve’s incredible contributions and are proud to call him part of the Parks family. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition as a Hometown Hero — and thank you for always going the extra yard for Springfield’s youth! 👏💚