Town of Hanover Receives Grant Award to Study Forge Pond Park Lighting 10/4/22
The Town of Hanover is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $35,000 grant through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Administration and Finance Community Compact Program. This grant will provide funding for the completion of site planning and analysis needed to determine the feasibility of placing field lighting at Forge Pond Park.
The Town of Hanover’s Forge Pond Park is a 40.97-acre complex dedicated to outdoor recreation use. The park, which opened in 2014, consists of a large grass area used for multiple sports and community events throughout the year; three baseball and three softball diamonds with associated facilities of dugouts and batting cages; wooded and paved walking trails; and a pavilion consisting of restroom facilities and concession area.
Increased demand and activity at the complex have led to discussions on how to enhance, improve and increase the usability of the outdoor space for residents and visitors alike. Currently, the complex does not have any outdoor lighting, so the hours of operation are limited. One proposal being investigated is the installation of LED field lighting at the baseball and softball diamonds. This would improve access to recreation facilities and increase the ability to use the outdoor space beyond daylight hours. This improvement would have a direct impact on the hundreds of youth sports participants using baseball and softball diamonds. These diamonds are also utilized by neighboring communities, private non-profit organizations, and local high schools.
The installation of lighting at Forge Pond Park must be approved by Hanover’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), as per the original permit for the complex from 2014. Several components of the necessary planning and site work have already been completed. A lighting plan has been developed with associated photometric studies. The Town of Hanover, through a Town Meeting appropriation, has approved $12,000 of Community Preservation Act Funds to assist with the completion of formal site plans necessary for submission to the ZBA as part of the approval process. Based on the size of the lighting structures necessary, geotechnical surveys and soil analysis is required, which was not originally planned for when existing project funds were appropriated during the May 2022 Annual Town Meeting.
Funds from this grant award would be utilized in conjunction with the funds already appropriated for overall site plan completion including electrical engineering; geotechnical surveying and soil analysis; wetland delineation required by the Conservation Commission; and finalization of lighting plans to include specific stanchion locations based on geotechnical information.