GREENFIELD — The Jersey barriers returned to Court Square on Tuesday, closing the road to vehicular traffic for the summer months.
With the closure comes a series of events lined up from April through October, including Meltdown, a children’s book and music festival organized by WRSI The River on April 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Recreation Department’s cornhole tournament on May 6 and annual Harvest Supper on Aug. 26, according to city officials. Other events still in the planning stages will feature food, live music, dancing and youth activities.
Vehicles will still be able to access the parking lot behind City Hall from Main Street at Veterans Mall and from Bank Row by way of Newton Place.
Community and Economic Development Director MJ Adams said the city has been “making a real effort” to finalize design plans for the pedestrian plaza and to encourage greater foot traffic with a variety of events and activities.
“We’re seeing this as hopefully the final year in a pilot program,” Adams said. “We’re hoping to do the design work on [Court Square] and go into construction next year. … That’s the game plan.”
The pilot reconfiguration project was first implemented in 2021 with funding from the state Department of Transportation’s Shared Streets and Spaces Program. Court Square remained closed that year from June until November, at which point city officials reviewed the community feedback they had received.
During the pilot, a group of residents petitioned the city to reverse the closure and reopen the pedestrian plaza to vehicular traffic. Resident David Lewis, who submitted the petition, argued that the concept hurts nearby businesses as it restricts traffic flow and reduces parking. City Council, however, voted not to support the petition.
Adams said while the city has received some criticism of the design, feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“We saw it pretty actively used last year, and we’re hopeful it’ll get used as much this year,” she said. “It’s a real touchstone, a place where people gather and live outside in downtown Greenfield.”
■Meltdown children’s book and music festival, presented by WRSI The River — April 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
■Greenfield Farmers’ Market — Saturdays starting April 29, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
■Greenfield Recreation Department’s Cornhole Tournament — May 6, 3 p.m.
■Bee Fest — May 20.
■Harvest Supper — Aug. 26.
Individuals or businesses interested in planning a community event on Court Square are encouraged to visit greenfield-ma.gov/courtsquare
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.