Sanborn 1884 map – at this location is the City Iron Foundry near Cabot and South East Streets – the Jolly is at MAP in the HWP building that parallels the First Level Canal
Sanborn 1889 map – at this location is the City Iron Foundry near Cabot and South East Streets – the Jolly is at MAP in the HWP building that parallels the First Level Canal
The Holyoke Club seems to have started in 1904 or 1905 with original officers of Lewis Wyckoff, A G Magna, and George Nicholson. In 1907 the officers are John E Clark, Charles M Porter, George Nicholson. Then in 1917 the Holyoke Club House had a president of A T Gallup and a tres/sec of Z D B Hallett.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Easthampton border to Holyoke Canoe Club
This area is all private land. It is walkable if you can get out to the dirt beaches.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Holyoke Canoe Club to Brookwood Road
This area is all private land. It is walkable if you can get out to the dirt beaches.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Brookwood Road to Log Cove
From Jones Point Park one can walk either north to the Dinosaur Tracks or south to Log Cove.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Log Cove to Interstate 391
Here one can get in at McNulty Park and either walk north to Jones Point Park or walk south to Pulaski Park. Likewise, one can get in under the Vietnam Veterans Bridge and walk north to the large Holyoke Dam or walk south to the first millrace behind Valley Paper. Farther advance is very hard since each mill has a millrace blocking your way.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Interstate 391 to Holyoke Rows
The best intake area is at Springdale Park. A walk north is possible but the sewage plant stops one at some point. A walk south is not possible since there are homes here.
The Shoreline of Holyoke – Holyoke Rows to West Springfield Border
From Holyoke Rows a walk south is possible through the Land of Providence on trustee land to the southern border of Holyoke.
As for Community Field, it was the hope of the city to develop this land into the sports complex of Holyoke. Most of Community Field was purchased before 1923 and was called that name.
In 1926 Day Brook was placed underground. Thus Elmwood Park would lose its brook and its rustic feel. Now the Elmwood Park would become and desirable location for the sports complex. It was closer to the schools downtown.
Since Community Field was placed onto the backburner, the land was not developed for a while due to lack of funds. The park had been dedicated on October 31, 1925 but it had to wait to be developed.
There was an attempt at a large baseball stadium in the mid to late 1920s and work was done on the grading around the perimeter. But money was hard to come by for this organization. On October 7 1929 they sold the grounds to the city. In the years after that the parks were considered for many other uses: a city golf course, a new high school, a road that circled the park and more.
WPA Project
Wading Pool
It was finally developed into a recreational area in 1934. For example a wading pool was added that year and in the wintertime that pool transformed into an ice rink. This was done by the Works Progress Administration.
On July 1, 1953, the 1934 wading pool is replaced with a new one that is 125 feet long and oval. It is 20 inches deep at maximum. It could hold 120 children.
Later Works
In 1936 and 1937 a gravel road was added to the top of Anniversary Hill Park. (The road had been started in 1932 but did not go very far.)
In 1936 one hundred trees are added. 500 feet of cinder walks are put in. n 1939 a shelter house and a baseball diamond were added.
Ice skating would happen in the winter at Community Field.
Playground
The playground at the Community Field was drastically changed in 1989. The Kelly Constant Playground was dedicated on June 22 1989.
Dinosaur Tracks
Landscaping of the grounds around the dinosaur tracks is done.
Vandalism
Crystal Springs
The wading pool has water from Day Brook. Day Brook passed near to the Jarvis Avenue landfill. In 1953 a new wading pool was added. In 1954 the roadway was drastically improved and the name was changed to Community Park. In 1956 hiking trails are added. In 1958 a new softball field is added.
In 1961 the parks department offers Holyoke Junior Community College 45 acres within Community Field. (Obviously, never taken up.)
