Senator Eldridge Secures $100,000 in Senate FY23 Budget To Safely Reopen Ayer Playground
Earmark Will Provide Town with Funds to Reconstruct Kiddie Junction Playground
Ayer, MA – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) secured $100,000 to allow Ayer to reconstruct the Kiddie-Junction playground that has been closed. The playground is located at Pirone Park. Last week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a $49.78 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23).
With unanimous support, the budget makes significant, critical and targeted investments in the areas of education, healthcare, housing and community support to meet the on-the-ground challenges brought on by the global pandemic and ongoing financial uncertainty.
In December 2021, the Town of Ayer closed the playground due to Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection tests confirming the presence of arsenic contamination. The playground is currently closed, with a metal fence around the entire Ayer Kiddie Junction.
“These critical funds will help support the Town of Ayer rebuild the Ayer Kiddie Junction, to ensure that the playground is safe for children,” stated State Senator Jamie Eldridge. “The Ayer Kiddie Junction is not just a playground for Ayer families, but is popular for families through the Nashoba Valley region, and I’m proud to secure this state funding, to re-open the playground as soon as possible.”
“On behalf of the Ayer Select Board and Town Manager Robert Pontbriand, I’d like to thank Senator Eldridge for his leadership on this important issue for the Town or Ayer. The playground at Pirone Park has been a favorite spot for our residents for decades,” said Carly Antonellis, assistant town manager of Ayer. “We are so excited to upgrade the equipment and remediate the soil, so that future generations can enjoy our beautiful Pirone Park. Our thanks, again, to Senator Eldridge for providing real funding for the Town of Ayer.”
The Senate’s FY23 Budget is available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website, by clicking here. Now that the Senate and Massachusetts House of Representatives have passed their respective budget proposals, both branches will now work together, form a conference committee and reconcile differences.
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