The project will feature an interactive water fountain that will double as a splash pad for children.
Mayor Announces Chancellor Park Redesign
UTICA—Utica Mayor Robert M. Palmieri unveiled the final design for Chancellor Park renovations, which are already underway. Construction is supposed to last throughout the spring and the new park will be completed sometime in late summer.
The project will feature an interactive water fountain that will double as a splash pad for children. The fountain will be at the center of the park and will serve as a focal point for the renovated space.
The redesign also features newly-installed pickle ball and bocce courts. The redesign of Chancellor Park is designed to make the park more accessible and enjoyable for people of all abilities and to supplement the needs of the community, as expressed in the City’s Parks Master Plan.
The revamped park is designed to complement accessibility and surfacing improvements to adjoining Kent Street. Kent Street will also undergo renovations this spring after the City and the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired agreed on the need for improvements. CABVI recently underwent significant expansion and the environmental improvements surrounding the facility are designed to enhance the area for blind and visually impaired persons.
Chancellor Park, in Downtown Utica, has traditionally been home to Utica’s Farmer’s Market and Juneteenth holiday celebrations as well as being a popular park for events. Funding for the redesign and Kent Street come from multiple sources including the American Rescue Plan Act and local budget allotments. The Kent Street and Chancellor Park redesigns are part of the Utica Prosperity Initiative. The project was allotted $1.9 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Utica Mayor Robert M. Palmieri said: “We want Downtown Utica to be a place where residents live, work and play. The new Chancellor Park will be a place that accommodates all of those things. Some of the amenities and features of this new park will be a first for the City and a first for the region. It’s another step toward building a sustainable, world-class environment for our residents to enjoy.”
Parks Commissioner Dave Short said: “The input we received from our Parks Master Plan gave us the vision that our residents have for the future of our parks system. Chancellor Park is another step toward achieving that vision and it’s a great example of a community and its government working together to produce the best results possible.”