What does the future hold for Chianese Park? 

Residents will have the opportunity to decide when the Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission and the Barrington Recreation Department hold a special Chianese Park open meeting on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in the lower level of the Barrington Peck Center building. 

“Funding has been allocated for field maintenance, and options for upgrading the existing multi-use field are being explored,” stated a poster for the upcoming meeting. “No decisions will be made without resident feedback.”

This will not be the first time town officials consider future use of Chianese Park. In 2024, a former member of the council, Rob Humm, proposed a plan to construct a synthetic turf athletic field on a capped landfill field at Chianese. Some residents living in the area near Chianese attended a council meeting to voice their opposition to the plan — a South Street resident said there is an over-eagerness by local sports organizations to monopolize the open spaces in town; a Hilltop Avenue resident said a synthetic turf field would increase traffic at the park and noise pollution and safety issues. 

Some residents, including a few living near the park, supported the proposal, although when it was put to a town-wide vote — whether a synthetic turf field should be constructed on a municipal athletic field — residents defeated the measure. 

Residents at a prior financial town meeting did, however, approve a $5 million bond, much of which is to be used on athletic field improvements. Most of that money is still available. 

Now residents have an opportunity to discuss other options for Chianese Park. 

In addition, the Barrington Recreation Department has also created an online survey to help with the Chianese Park discussion. Anyone who completes the survey by Jan. 29 will be entered to win a $20 gift card to Leon’s Café and Catering. 

The survey, which can be accessed multiple times by the same person, asks people what their connection to the park is, how often they use the park, what the primary focus of Chianese Park should be, and what potential improvements they would support at Chianese. The options for potential improvements includes “Walking paths or perimeter paths,” “Landscaping or beautification,” “Shade structures,” “Accessibility improvements,” or “other.”