Parks & Recreation Committee

SPONSORED BY HEATH PARKS AND REC
AND THE HEATH LIBRARY

There are pickleballs and 4 paddles on a shelf to the far left of the gym doors. The net is along the bleachers. Just unlock the wheels to move the net to the center and relock them once in place. Once done, move them back to the bleachers. Please use indoor sneakers if you have them to preserve the gym floor finish.

MAKE SURE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF WHEN DONE PLAYING

DAYTIME PICKLEBALL/OPEN GYM: OPEN GYM is available for any use including pickleball during the day up until 1:30 PM when the building is open and the gym is not otherwise reserved. The only exception is Thursday morning from 9:30 to 11 AM which is reserved for group pickleball play (no signup required, just come and play with who ever shows up). To see a time when the gym may not be available during the day, check the town Building Use Calendar.

NIGHT TIME PICKLEBALL: Monday and Wednesday evenings until 7 PM are reserved for pickleball. Just come and play with who ever shows up.

DONATIONS ARE WELCOME: A donation jar is available from time to time. Donations are welcome to keep the program going. To donate by check, make it out to the Town of Heath and be sure to write in the memo field, Heath Parks & Rec Pickleball.

The Recreation Fund which was used to purchase the pickleball equipment can only be replenished through donations. The cost of retaping is an ongoing expense.

Initiatives

• Establish kiosks showing trail maps in the town center, Jacobs Road, and HO Cook State Forest. The Select Board has appoved the placement in the center and Jacobs Road, the Highway Dept has been contact about the HO Cook kiosk. P & R is working on the signage.
• An onging effort to establish trails to connect Catamount State Forest to Mohawk Trail State Forest.
• Onging support for maintaining and enhancing the established center gardens
• Purchased pickleball equipment for use in jacobs gym, established hours for play, and had an advanced player hold a beginners class.
• Acquired a grant to purchase picnic tables for the Center and Jacobs Road
• Held a 5k Fun Run that took place at the Heath Fair with plans to make it yearly.

Future Projects

• Seek grants to resurface the basketball/pickleball court in the center.
• Place a dog poop duispenser on the Jacobs grounds.
• Purchase and spread mulch on the Jacobs playground.

Trails

• A Woodlands Partnership grant funds owner outreach by the Franklin County Land Trust. The Select Board recieved a license at no cost to go through the Thomas Trowbridge land which connects to the Howland Memorial Forest. This adds another link from the Catamount State Forest throught the Burnt Hill Trail going towards Heath Center.
• Heath and Rowe were awarded a $50,000 grant to fund Phase II of the Regional Thru-Trail Project initiative (the Mahican-Mohawk connection). This funding will allow Heath and Rowe to continue the planning and schematic work of FRCOG, which is aimed at developing a regional trail from Catamount State Forest/Shelburne Falls all the way to Mohawk State Forest via Heath and Rowe.
• Aquired grants to establish the Burnt Hill Trail off Flag Hill Road, and to purchase land conecting that trail to the Catamout State Forest. There is a kiosk at the trail head showing exisitng and proposed trails.