B y S c o t t E d w a r d A n d e r s o n
William F. Plouffe( 1915-1999)“ Skaters on the Common Rink,” Pittsfield Winter Carnival, 1970.( Berkshire County Historical Society)
Ice Dreams Really Do Come True
COMMUNITY, COMPETITION, AND COLD WEATHER FUN IN THE BERKSHIRES
›› On cold Berkshire winter mornings, when the ponds glaze over and breath fogs in the air, locals know it ' s hockey season. The crack of sticks meeting pucks, the scrape of blades on ice, and the echoes of laughter across frozen surfaces are the sounds that define winter in the hills of Western Massachusetts. As early as this year, that magic is getting a major boost in Pittsfield, where a long-envisioned community ice rink is becoming a reality. The idea for a free, public outdoor skating rink in Pittsfield started with a phone call and a promise. Alex Regen, an entrepreneur and hockey enthusiast who grew up skating on frozen Lake Buel in Monterey, approached then-mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti with a vision: a 100-by-50-foot refrigerated outdoor rink that would serve as a gathering place for the entire community.
" He said, ' If I get elected to office, we ' ll make it happen,’” says Regen.“ When he got elected, he didn ' t forget, and he made it happen.” What began as a hopeful conversation soon turned into a citywide effort. Regen worked closely with Jim McGrath, head of Parks and Open Spaces for Pittsfield, navigating grant applications armed with letters of support from Marchetti, State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, and State Senator Paul Mark. The Fitzpatrick Trust, a philanthropic foundation based in Stockbridge, stepped up first with a $ 50,000 donation that sparked a cascade of additional funding. The Feigenbaum Foundation in Pittsfield contributed $ 125,000, followed by Berkshire Bank with $ 10,000, Milltown Foundation with $ 10,000, and Pittsfield Co- Op Bank with $ 5,000. The city of Pittsfield committed $ 50,000 for maintenance and electricity costs. By September 2025, the project had reached its $ 250,000 goal through this model private-public partnership. " The main purpose is community, public free skating," says Regen. But the vision extends beyond open skating. Regen will help with programming and hopes to partner with the Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires, which operates an indoor rink in Pittsfield
96 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Holiday 2023 2025