Deerfield Weighs Next Recreation Projects for CPA Funding

DEERFIELD --

TOWN -- The Community Preservation Committee held a public hearing on Oct. 21 at the Deerfield Municipal Offices to gather input on updates to the town's Community Preservation Plan, which guides how Community Preservation Act funds are spent across four categories: affordable housing, open space, historic preservation and outdoor recreation. Committee chair Kathy told attendees that past CPA-funded recreation projects include the pickleball and tennis courts at Frontier, installed in 2023, a newly completed playground, and a partial contribution toward the Memorial town beach dock. At the hearing, residents raised ideas for future recreation funding, including creating a trail map for existing town trails and improving recreational access to the river for people who are not fully able-bodied, since the town currently lacks accessible parking or pathways to the water at some of its riverfront access points. The committee noted that the Open Space Committee has already formed a subcommittee working on a "pocket park" application for a site behind the library, an idea that first surfaced during last year's public input session. Officials said recreation and open space projects draw from the same CPA funding pool and that any new project proposals should be checked against state eligibility rules before an application is submitted.

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