CHESTERFIELD — The hilltowns are full of die-hard community members — people like married couple Aram Flores and Diana Biagioli who were willing to put their marriage on the line to ensure that Russell Memorial Park got a makeover.

They embarked on the challenging process of applying for a state grant, and the result is now $98,000 for the town to fix its tired park.

Don Willard, a member of Chesterfield’s Select Board and Recreation Committee, Cyndy Sperry, Peaches Leake and Aram Flores at Russell Memorial Park in Chesterfield. The group recently helped secure a state grant to put toward revamping the park with restored tennis courts, four pickleball courts, a half-basketball court and more. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo

The funds are part of a $12 million grant distribution from the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. For Chesterfield, the money will bring two restored tennis courts, four pickleball courts, a half-basketball court and a rebuilt parking lot at Russell Memorial Park. There will also be work done to connect the existing skate park with a path and make the space around the park’s baseball field compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The tennis courts at Russell Memorial Park in Chesterfield, which are in disrepair. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo

For the project to move forward, a special Town Meeting will be held on Dec. 15. The single-article meeting will ask voters to ratify the award from the state and also vote to contribute $200,000 from free cash reserves toward the project. According to the grant distribution, the entire project needs to be completed by June 2027.

Flores said the grant application process brought out his and his wife’s different ways of doing things, and that meeting the deadline to submit the grant was nerve-racking.

“It almost led to divorce,” Flores joked, noting that they filed the application just 45 minutes before the deadline.

Aram Flores, right, talks about applying for a state grant to remake Russell Memorial Park into a multiuse space featuring new tennis courts, pickleball courts and a half-basketball court. Cyndy Sperry, left, Peaches Leake, right, both are regular pickleball players. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo

The grant comes after years of looking into ways of trying to resurface the two tennis courts at the park, and it became clear they needed to be completely redone. Though unusable for tennis, the beat-up courts have become home for the town’s growing pickleball community of 40 people ranging in age from 8 to 80.

Given the conditions, Flores and Biagioli went to the Select Board more than a year ago and asked if they could lead a cause to get a grant.

“We were very grateful when Aram decided he’d love to do it — it’s a ton of work,” said Don Willard of the Select Board. “I said, ‘I will support you in any way,’ because very rarely do you get somebody that says, ‘I’ll help you with this.'”

Tennis is a big part of the couple’s lives, especially for Biagioli, who played tennis at Northampton High School, UMass Amherst, and has also been an instructor for children in town in the past.

The tennis, pickleball and half-basketball court will be part of the same multiuse space that will be built where the tennis courts currently are located. Movable nets will be used to make four pickleball courts.

Willard is a big fan of the multiuse layout, and is excited to bring back a basketball hoop, something that the park has been without for several years.

“To be able to have multiuse is amazing because you really don’t have anywhere to go play hoop at all,” said Willard. “So by making it multiuse, these are some things to do after school. They can come over here and play and meet their friends up here.”

In addition to the multiuse court, the park also has a playground, a skate park and a baseball field.

Resident and pickleballer Cyndy Sperry said, “These are the nicest courts in the hilltowns. There’s a breeze, it’s really beautiful, and the sun doesn’t blind you. I feel like it’s a really great part of being in Chesterfield.”

Town Administrator Brenda Lessard said the pickleball court will prove to be a community asset.

“It’s a good, healthy activity. You know there’s not a lot to do in Chesterfield, so having some places for people to go and be healthy is good,” she said.

Willard said that without community engagement — people willing to dig, maintain the courts and pour concrete — projects like this would be impossible, and he hopes the community will back the project when it comes for a vote on Dec. 15.

Don Willard, a member of Chesterfield’s Select Board and Recreation Committee, talks about creating a multiuse space at Russell Memorial Park in Chesterfield that would feature new tennis and pickleball courts, and a half-basketball court. Cyndy Sperry, middle, and Peaches Leake, right, both are regular pickleball players. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo

In upcoming months there will be fundraising to try to offset some of the costs of the project, and Flores explained the need to take $200,000 from free cash to move on with the project.

“We’ll have a vote because the town needs to approve the entire budget, because it’s a reimbursement grant. So we spend the money, and the state gives us back 66%,” he said.

The vote will take place at 6 p.m. at the Chesterfield Town Offices at 403 Main Road.

Tennis courts at Russell Memorial Park in Chesterfield, which a group has written a grant to create new tennis and pickleball courts, and a half-basketball court. CAROL LOLLIS / Staff Photo

Samuel Gelinas is the hilltown reporter with the Daily Hampshire Gazette, covering the towns of Williamsburg, Cummington, Goshen, Chesterfield, Plainfield, and Worthington, and also the City of Holyoke....