NAHANT — The town had plenty to celebrate on Wednesday morning, with the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art basketball court coinciding with an announcement that it has earned a Tree City USA designation.
Town Administrator Antonio Barletta keyed off the celebration for the revamped open space to announce that the town had been rewarded for its commitment to the environment by receiving the Tree City USA designation.
The Tree City USA program provides communities with a four-step framework to maintain and grow their tree cover. Part of the park upgrades included new trees, which were donated by Nahant S.W.I.M. (Safer Waters in Massachusetts) and planted by the town’s Department of Public Works.
“This is a very special moment,” he said. “We are doing a dual-purpose ribbon cutting. We are not only introducing this brand-new basketball court. We are also celebrating the Community Preservation Act that helped pay for it.”
Joining Barletta at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Board of Selectmen Chairman Josh Antrim, Fire Chief Austin Antrim, and Nahant S.W.I.M. Executive Director Vi Patek.
The new basketball court, which is located on Spring Road by the Nahant Compost Area, is a complete upgrade from the original court. The newly-painted, bright-blue court also features new basketball hoops and nets. A new fence helps to separate the park from the town dump that sits behind it. New trees complement the park upgrades.
“S.W.I.M., led by Vi and in coordination with the town and the Tree City Task Force created by the Tree City, helped pay for and determine the right type of trees to put down here,” said Barletta.
Josh Antrim said he was excited for the opportunities the new park will create for the children who live in town.
“The place looks great with the trees and the court,” he said. “I’ve already seen kids playing here, which is great, and hopefully they will develop some skills. I love to see improvements in this town.”
Austin Antrim, who is a part of the town’s Community Preservation Committee — which was formed to study and recommend to Town Meeting plans and proposals regarding the expenditures of Nahant’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) revenues — also noted his excitement for the park improvements.
“The town, Tony (Barletta), and the selectmen have done an amazing job getting all the work done, not only here but throughout the town; we are very pleased,” he said.
