WILLIAMSTOWN — State Rep. John Barrett Ⅲ, D-North Adams, remembers playing Little League at 27 Stetson Road, when it was mostly an open area with not much built on it. Over 60 years later, with a multi-use trail, skate park, and a brand-new fitness court, Barrett is amazed at how far things have come.
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“What it’s grown from — from the Little League [field] that I played [on] back in 1960 — to what it is today … It’s unbelievable,” Barrett said. “It’s a good day.”
Barrett was one of many who attended the opening of Williamstown’s new outdoor fitness court, beside the Mohican Trail on Wednesday afternoon. More than 30 people attended the opening, which featured a workout demonstration by local personal trainer Ashleigh Yager.
Fitness Coach Ashleigh Yager demonstrates one of the stations at the new outdoor Fitness Court located at 27 Stetson Road in Williamstown during the opening ceremony on Wednesday. “I’m so grateful for the community that I live in that so many people worked together … to build and support our athletic infrastructure,” Williamstown Select Board Chair Stephanie Boyd said.
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“I think it’s great,” Yager said of the new free outdoor facility. “I hope it looks fun enough that it’ll get people involved that might otherwise not move their bodies.”
The town partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and National Fitness Campaign for the new fitness court, providing free fitness for everyone and digital wellness programming. The fitness court, located at 27 Stetson Road, is across from Bud Anderson Field and next to the skate park.
“I’m so grateful for the community that I live in that so many people worked together … to build and support our athletic infrastructure,” Williamstown Select Board Chair Stephanie Boyd said.
The fitness court cost around $150,000, Town Manager Robert Menicocci said, adding that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was responsible for a $50,000 grant toward the project. The town’s community preservation act funds covered most of the rest of the cost, and the town’s Department of Public Works provided around $20,000 in sand and labor value to help.
A grand opening was held Wednesday at the new outdoor Fitness Court at 27 Stetson Road in Williamstown. “I think it’s great,” personal trainer Ashleigh Yager said. “I hope it looks fun enough that it’ll get people involved that might otherwise not move their bodies.”
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
The overall project took about 18 months, Menicocci said.
It’s the second fitness court of its type to open in Western Massachusetts. The first, in Lee, opened in July 2023 behind Lee Middle & High School.
Williamstown is one of 18 current campaign partners building a network of fitness courts across the state, with the help of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, according to a press release. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston.
The fitness court, for ages 14 and up, has seven exercise stations, and the court is designed to provide a full-body workout in seven minutes, according to the National Fitness Campaign.
National Fitness Campaign is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors with a mission to build healthy communities nationwide.
Fitness Coach Ashleigh Yager demonstrates one of the stations at the new outdoor Fitness Court located at 27 Stetson Road in Williamstown during the opening ceremony on Wednesday. The fitness court cost around $150,000.
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Yager, who teaches wellness classes and physical education yoga at Williams College, led about 10 people in a workout on the court. She said the fitness court has “a little bit of everything” and the step-ups are great for lower body strength, and the assisted push-ups are great for back and core.
Barrett, who grew up in Williamstown and graduated from Mount Greylock Regional School, grew up less than a half a mile from the fitness court. Barrett said that Williams College has opened up Stetson Road completely, and with numerous athletic fields, it’s “been a very important part of the athletic program.”
The site has “touched the lives of everybody,” Barrett said, adding that the fitness court was a collaborative effort.
Fitness Coach Ashleigh Yager watches as Dick Nesbitt uses one of the stations at the new outdoor Fitness Court at 27 Stetson Road in Williamstown on Wednesday.
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“When you can touch the lives of people that you’ll never know and never meet … It’s a good feeling,” he said.
Barrett said he is a believer in valuing recreation and remembers growing up during John F. Kennedy’s presidency and the “big beginning of physical fitness.” Physical fitness was “ingrained in us and the town at that time,” Barrett said, adding that it’s important to invest in recreational activities.
Menicocci said there are no set hours for the fitness court, and anyone is welcome to use it. He also said the town is looking to modernize the skate park and is focused on improving other recreational spaces.
“Over the past 20 years, fitness and being outdoors have become more and more of a thing for people,” he said. “We just have so much more of a call for it. We’re all in on it.”