East Side Rec Reopens

The newly revamped East Side Recreational Park reopened this week.

Closed since renovation work began in the Spring, the reopening was kicked off with a ribbon cutting on Friday, October 30. 

Mayor Meg Kelly and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce were in attendance, along with school officials, construction associates, students and community members. 

“The future of East Side Rec is obviously bright,” said School District Superintendent Michael Patton.

WELCOME BACK TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The park’s renovations are part of the school district’s $15.6 million Great Outdoors Project, which was set in motion in 2016. 

The Project includes improvements to the District’s eight schools, Gavin Park, West and East Side Recreation areas.

The plan passed in May 2018, and no new taxes were levied to pay for the project. The East Side Rec improvements were budgeted to cost $6.5 million.

Completed improvements include a new field house (with restrooms, offices, and concession stand), overhauls to the stadium, baseball field turf, tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. 

New picnic areas with a pavilion, playground equipment, a paved fitness trail, lights, signage, and fencing have also been added. 

AN AMAZING PLACE TO PLAY
Students are excited to have the opportunity to make use of this incredible investment in the expansive park year-round. 

Saratoga Springs High School Senior, Nick Grosso, said he grew up playing at the park. Before the renovations there was a running joke about how much the condition of the tennis courts had deteriorated.

“In tennis, you have three surfaces that you can play on – courts that are clay, grass, or a hard surface. Here, it was a combination of all three because they were so rough and had so many cracks,” he said. 

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Carl O’Callaghan, a senior on the Saratoga High School Basketball Team said he liked seeing that there were big changes on the courts – they’ve been resurfaced, have new backboards and rims. 

Both agreed however, that the park still needed something.

“You can’t really ask for anything else, it turned out great. What it needs is more kids here,” said Grosso.

UP NEXT: THE LEGACY PROJECT VOTE
The next renovation proposal for the school district is The Legacy Project, a $129.7 million capital improvement plan. 

Building and safety improvements, energy efficiency, and educational program enhancements are included in the project, which will be funded with no additional taxes levied. 

The vote is scheduled for December 8. 

For more information about The Legacy Project, go to www.saratogaschools.org.