On a recent Friday I went to the opening of the newly renovated Pulaski Park. The park is wonderful addition to downtown Northampton, but at the opening ceremony it was apparent that there was something missing in the new design.
On a blazing hot afternoon, Mayor David Narkewicz and other dignitaries gave speeches under a blue pop-up tent on the ground-level wooden platform at the center of the park. It was hard to see the speakers on the un-elevated stage and hard to hear their speeches because of an under-powered public address system.
All around you could see the evidence of impressive new infrastructure: the large sloping lawn, handsome benches and big marble blocks and yet this is all we get for a stage?
Pulaski Park needs a permanent, elevated, covered stage. It was ironic to hear Senate President Stan Rosenberg speechify about how Northampton was voted the Number 1 small arts town in America and yet when you looked around there was no adequate structure to present performances and other events in our new downtown park.
A real stage would encourage the presentation of free outdoor events, stimulate the economy and enliven the city.
During the second stage of the Pulaski Park renovation, money should be set aside for a decent stage.
It doesn’t have to be the Taj Mahal, but we need to do better than a pop-up tent.
John Reily
Florence