Parks & Recreation Department

The Parks & Recreation department is committed to enrich the quality of life through the promotion, development, and maintenance of public recreation and enrichment opportunities, park lands and related facilities.

Building Pride in Our Parks

The Westfield Parks and Recreation Department have embarked on a project to revitalize area parks and public areas. The Westfield Parks and Recreation Department controls and manages the parks, spray parks playgrounds and a four cemeteries.

History

The Park Commission was established in Westfield in 1929.

Department at a Glance

The Parks and Recreation Commission was created in 1968 to administer the department. The Parks Commission was established in 1929 and the playground (recreation) was formed in 1968. The two departments, Parks Department and Recreation Department, were created separately with two separate budgets and directors. History, as years passed, the Parks Department was overseen by a full time Parks Director and several maintenance personnel. The two departments were combined in 1998, with control and management under the auspice of the Parks and Recreation Deputy Superintendent who manages and controls, relays all maintenance requests.

Park Square "The Green" General Shepard Elizabeth Parker Memorial Park

Parks, Playgrounds and Cemeteries

To reserve the following areas, please fill out a Use of Area Form permit:

Playgrounds: Arm Brook, Chapman, Cross Street, Hampton Ponds, Little River, Municipal, Papermill, Sadie Knox, Steiger Drive, Whitney and Boardman. Parks: Apremont, Sgt. John Hussey Memorial Park, Dowling, General Shepard, Highland, Holcomb Park, Kane/Wojtkiewicz, Half Mile Falls, Mary Noble, Park Square, Soldiers Monument, Stephen Budzak, Tekoa Park, Women's Temperance, Woronocco Soccer Complex, Westfield Skate Park at Amelia Park, Cowles court pocket park, White Street pocket park, and Court Street Islands. Cemeteries: East Mountain Road, Mechanic Street, Middle Farms and Mundale.

The Parks and Recreation Department today offers more than 75 different programs year round. The department is responsible for 11 playgrounds, 18 parks, 4 cemeteries, a skate park, three spray parks and a "dog friendly" area, at Arms Brook Park.

Flags

The department provides flags for all parks in the city. They are replaced each year in May, or if tattered.

Philosophy

The Westfield Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to providing quality recreation programs for the residents of the community. The most important aspect of this programs is for the participant. Every decision made by those involved will be made with the best interest of the participant in mind. In order for our programs to reflect the philosophy of the department, it is important that every person involved is working under the same objectives.

The primary objective of the programs are:

1. Participant enjoyment: help the kids to have fun as you teach them the basic fundamentals to play the game.
2. Insuring a positive approach toward physical, psychological and social development: physically through learning skills, psychologically through developing feelings of self worth, and socially through the principals of sportsmanship.

Slogan

The outcome of a young athlete is more important than the outcome of the game!