Lake Mansfield

Great Barrington Earns Grant to Help Preserve Lake Mansfield

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Town of Great Barrington
Jennifer Tabakin, Town Manager
Town Hall
334 Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230

For Immediate Release

Monday, Dec. 4, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Great Barrington Earns Grant to Help Preserve Lake Mansfield

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force is pleased to announce that Great Barrington has earned a state grant that will help fund the installation of an improved storm water drainage system that will boost Lake Mansfield’s water quality.

The $288,925 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection will cover the cost of addressing sediment deposition and particle pollution that flows from Knob Hill into the lake, which will benefit the lake’s overall health and slow the growth of invasive plants.

With the funding, Great Barrington is a step closer to preserving Lake Mansfield for generations to come by mitigating the impact of pollutants. The town will install structural best management practices that will capture sediment and other pollutants that have had a negative impact on the lake in years past.

“This grant is the result of the dedication and effort by everyone on the Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force, which is constantly looking for ways to keep the lake healthy and beautiful and make it more accessible to residents,” Task Force Chair Christine Ward said. “This grant is an extraordinary boost to our efforts, and I’m thankful for the work everyone has done to make it a reality.”

Offsetting storm water impact on the lake is part of a larger ongoing effort by Great Barrington to care for Lake Mansfield.

“We are incredibly grateful for this grant, which will go a long way toward protecting the lake as an essential natural resource,” Town Planner and Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force Ex-Officio Member Chris Rembold said. “We are constantly evaluating and pursuing grants and other funding opportunities that can support the work we still need to to do to address the beach, road, parking, boat launch and more.”

Lake Mansfield is an approximately 30-acre body of water, located within the Housatonic River watershed, less than one mile from downtown Great Barrington. The lake is a Massachusetts Great Pond and is a four-season recreational and scenic resource. Swimmers, walkers, runners, bikers, canoeists and kayakers of all ages enjoy its lovely setting and tranquil waters as well as its beach area, play area and the boat launch. In the winter, ice skaters, and ice fisherman frequent the lake whenever ice conditions permit. Lake Mansfield is unusual in Berkshire County. It is close to downtown and publicly accessible, but it is free of docks, boat houses and other structures on the lake shore.

“The grant for Great Barrington’s clean-up project is no small figure – this local investment will improve the water quality of Lake Mansfield for future generations and support the state’s agenda to reduce pollution,” said State Senator Adam Hinds. “We should be making every effort possible to ensure that all residents in the Commonwealth have access to clean water resources.”

After a decade of cleanup and restoration efforts by the Lake Mansfield Alliance and the Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force, the lake is a popular year-round recreational retreat. However, the lake poses unique challenges — such as the rapid erosion of a vegetated buffer that has lost its effectiveness as a defense against pollution  — which the DEP grant will help to alleviate.

“This investment in the health of our lake water and ecosystem is a critical and beneficial one for our entire community,” Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin said. “It will preserve the future of our environment while also maintaining the lake as a pristine recreational venue for the region.”

“Mitigating the pollution entering Lake Mansfield from storm water runoff and erosion is critical to ensuring folks will be able to take advantage of this amazing environmental resource for generations to come,” State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli said. “Congratulations to Great Barrington, the Lake Mansfield Committee, and Christine Ward, without whom this project would not be possible.”

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Updated: Great Barrington Police Arrest Two Men after Shots Fired at Beach and Gun Displayed at Local Shop

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Town of Great Barrington
Jennifer Tabakin, Town Manager
Town Hall
334 Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017

Contact: Chief William Walsh Jr.
Phone: 413-528-0306

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Great Barrington Police Arrest Two Men after Shots Fired at Beach and Gun Displayed at Local Shop

 

This version has been updated to reflect the fact that the Great Barrington Police have located and seized the firearm involved in this case.

GREAT BARRINGTON — Chief William Walsh reports that two men were arrested last night after multiple incidents involving a firearm.

NATHAN J. BONA, AGE 20, OF SOUTHFIELD, was arrested and charged with:

  • Assault With a Dangerous Weapon (Three Counts)
  • Threat to Commit a Crime
  • OUI Liquor

AUSTIN WHITNEY, AGE 22, OF GREAT BARRINGTON, was arrested and charged with two counts of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon.

At 10 p.m. yesterday, police were called to the beach at Lake Mansfield for a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers were informed that two men, driving a pickup truck, had fired a handgun several times in the parking lot of the beach, striking a storage shed. There were no injuries as a result of the gunshots.

Minutes later, officers received a second call. This time, a clerk at the Cumberland Farms on Main Street reported that two men, in a pickup truck, were causing a disturbance. When the clerk confronted the pair, one of them lifted his shirt and allegedly displayed a firearm tucked into his waistband before the men fled in the truck.

However, they did not rob the store.

Officers quickly located the pickup truck believed to be the suspect’s vehicle. BONA and WHITNEY were subsequently arrested after a traffic stop.

Police later obtained and executed a search warrant for the suspect’s pickup truck and located the firearm inside the vehicle.

Great Barrington Police Sgt. Adam Carlotto and Officer Christopher Peebles are leading the investigation.

The suspects were released on personal recognizance by a clerk magistrate this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow in Southern Berkshire District Court.

“This is a great example if why it is important to call the police immediately when you see something suspicious. In this instance, we have two suspects who were being irresponsible with a firearm, and we were able to locate them within minutes of the first call,” Chief Walsh said. “Thankfully, citizens called the police and we were able to arrest the suspects before an innocent person was hurt as a result of their wanton and reckless conduct.”

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Town of Great Barrington Making Steady Progress on Lake Mansfield Beach, Boat and Road Improvements

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Town of Great Barrington
Jennifer Tabakin, Town Manager
Town Hall
334 Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Town Making Steady Progress on Lake Mansfield Beach, Boat and Road Improvements

GREAT BARRINGTON — As the Town of Great Barrington works to implement the engineering phase of its Lake Mansfield Improvement Plan, signs of progress are starting to become visible.

The ongoing project involves a variety of work to design a repair for Lake Mansfield Road, which has sustained damage following years of seasonal changes in the weather, coupled with poor drainage. The improvement plan will increase public safety and protect the lake’s water quality and habitat while maintaining access to the recreation area. It will also improve the boat launch, beach area and travel for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.

Residents have begun to notice small blue flags along the road, which are being used to mark the boundary of protected wetlands. Surveyors will rely on the flags to map property and infrastructure boundaries along the road as they work in the area this week.

The work also includes geotechnical investigations which involves drilling core samples from the road. This allows engineers to study the base material and construction of the road, in order to determine how to best address stormwater, drainage and bank erosion.

Lake Mansfield Road is expected to close for one day to allow for this work to occur safely and swiftly. The Town will make an announcement prior to any road closure, though the exact date of the closure has yet to be determined.

“Lake Mansfield Road is a critical piece of infrastructure that the town is committed to preserving,” Town Planner Chris Rembold said. “We are making solid progress on rehabilitating the road to make it safer to travel, while protecting the lake and the valuable ecosystem surrounding it.”

KZLA Landscape Architecture was contracted by the town to develop the improvement plan last summer, following a year of design work and public meetings. The improvement plan was ultimately approved by the Selectboard last September.

The approval called for beginning design and engineering work, seeking funds for stormwater improvements and requires the town to consider all roadway options, including whether to use it as a two-way road, one-way road or to one day close the road to through traffic.

Future questions regarding the width and route of the road will be determined at a later date based on the information gleaned from the engineer’s report. The initial report is expected in 2018. The report will also lead to a plan for an improved outlet structure to address flooding that occurs at the northern end of the road during storms. The engineering work is funded by $106,400 in Community Preservation Act grant funds and is being led by the firm of Woodard & Curran.

In addition, the Town has applied for a grant through the Massachusetts DEP in order to complete the stormwater mitigation work required on Knob Hill Road. The Town is also working with the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game for improvements at the Boat Launch.  

The Town of Great Barrington’s Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force continues to meet monthly to support the town in its implementation of the improvement plan. Community input is welcome as the Town confronts the complex issues inherent in the care and improvement of this much valued open space. Other upcoming improvements include the completion of the handicapped accessible loop trail in the Lake Mansfield Forest. Stewardship of the Lake Mansfield Recreation Area is accomplished with the support of Great Barrington Land Conservancy.

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