Billerica commits $400,000 in ARPA funds to Ditson School site park

BILLERICA -- July 24, 2024, Billerica Acting Town Manager previews Ditson Park development and brown water briefing in new video series. Acting Town Manager Clancy Main launched a recurring video update series on BATV on July 24, announcing that the town has begun soliciting bids for a basketball court, playground swings, and a pavilion at the former Ditson School site, using $400,000 in ARPA funds allocated by the Select Board. A neighborhood listening session drew roughly 40 to 50 residents who also requested a walking perimeter trail, trees, benches, and a pavilion with ties to a nearby farmer's market; the town plans to build the trail using in-house labor. Main also said Water Superintendent Todd Melanson and DPW Director Fred Russell will present to the Select Board in August on Billerica's persistent brown water problem and past water billing issues. A new neighborhood listening session for Coal Rush Park, where a redesign was rejected about a year ago, was announced for the coming weeks.