Editing Springfield, Massachusetts (section)

==Parks and recreation==
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In 2010, Springfield was cited as the fourth "Greenest City" in the United States—the largest city cited in the Top 10. The recognition noted Springfield's numerous parks, the purity of its drinking water, its regional recycling center, and organizations like ReStore Home Improvement Center, which salvages building materials.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bestplaces.net/docs/studies/greencities.aspx |title=Green Cities |publisher=Bestplaces.net |access-date=April 14, 2011 |archive-date=June 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623005759/https://www.bestplaces.net/docs/studies/greencities.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> Springfield features over {{convert|2400|acre|km2|0}} of parkland distributed among 35 urban parks, including the grand, {{convert|735|acre|ha|1}} [[Forest Park (Springfield)|Forest Park]]. Well-known parks include the following, among others:
* [[Apremont Triangle Historic District|Apremont Triangle Park]] is a triangular, pocket park in front of Springfield's historic [[Kimball Towers]] in [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]]. Named for Springfield's [[104th Infantry Regiment (United States)|104th Infantry Regiment]], which following the [[World War I]] Battle of [[Apremont, Ardennes|Apremont]], became the first U.S. military unit awarded for heroism by a foreign power, receiving France's highest military honor: the {{lang|fr|[[Croix de Guerre]]}} for bravery in combat. The same Springfield unit received the same honor again in [[World War II]]. Apremont Triangle Park, steps from both the bohemian [[Kimball Towers]] and upper-class [[Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District]] offers a place to sit amidst the restaurants on the northern fringe of the [[Club Quarter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://photos.masslive.com/republican/2011/05/springfields_monuments_and_memorials_46.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824104228/http://photos.masslive.com/republican/2011/05/springfields_monuments_and_memorials_46.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 24, 2011 |title=Springfield's monuments and memorials &#124; masslive.com |publisher=Photos.masslive.com |date=May 29, 2011}}</ref>
* Armoury Commons is a rectangular park just south of the [[Springfield Armory]], located at the corner of Pearl and Spring Streets in [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]]. Renovated in 2009, Armoury Commons features several sculptures, including Pynchon Park's original sculpture. The park is often used as a place to play chess and other games.
* [[Connecticut River Walk Park]] is a narrow, landscaped park that snakes along the scenic [[Connecticut River]] for several miles. Beginning near the [[Basketball Hall of Fame]], it features jogging trails, benches, boat docks, and plazas—all of which afford scenic vistas of the [[Connecticut River]] and [[Connecticut River Valley]]. However, Interstate 91's position, height, and ancillary structures—including a 1,756-car, below-grade parking lot (the largest in the city), and {{convert|20|ft|m|0|adj=on}} stone walls block all views of the Connecticut River, and all but three passages to the park from [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]]. Despite Springfield's rating as one of the most walkable cities in the U.S., due to the poor planning of I-91, this park can be difficult to reach on foot.<ref name="walkscore1">{{cite web |url=http://www.walkscore.com/MA/Springfield |title=Springfield, Massachusetts Neighborhoods on Walk Score |publisher=Walkscore.com |access-date=December 27, 2011 |archive-date=October 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018031528/http://www.walkscore.com/MA/Springfield |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Court Square]] has been Springfield's one topographical constant since colonial days—it is located in [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]]. Featuring monuments to Springfield's hero during [[King Philip's War]] of 1675, [[Miles Morgan]]; President [[William McKinley]]; and a Civil War memorial Court Square is surrounded by extraordinarily fine architecture, including [[H.H. Richardson]]'s [[Richardsonian Romanesque]] Courthouse; the [[Springfield Municipal Group]] featuring the [[Greek Revival]] City Hall, Symphony Hall, and the {{convert|300|ft|m|0|adj=on}} [[Italianate]] Campanile; and also the 1819 reconstruction of the 1638 [[First Church of Christ, Congregational (Springfield, Massachusetts)|Old First Church]]. Other buildings included are the One Financial Plaza skyscraper, [[UMass Amherst]]'s Urban Design Studio in the Byers Block (b. 1835); and, across Main Street, the [[MassMutual Center]] arena and convention center.
* Five Mile Pond is a Naturalist park and pond approximately {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} from Springfield's [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]] in the [[Pine Point, Springfield, Massachusetts|Pine Point]] neighborhood of Springfield. There are several, [[glacial lake]]s in the Five Mile Pond area, including Lake Lorraine, Loon Pond, and Long Pond. Five Mile Pond is popular with boaters.
* [[Forest Park (Springfield)|Forest Park]] is one of the United States' largest urban parks (at {{convert|735|acre|ha|1}}) and also one of its most historically important urban parks. Amenities include the [[The Zoo In Forest Park|Zoo at Forest Park]], which features many exotic animals; the United States' first public swimming pool (1899); numerous playgrounds; an ice-skating rink; a formal rose garden; the {{convert|31|acre|ha|1}} Porter Lake, which features fishing and paddle-boating; 38 tennis courts; numerous basketball and bocce courts; lawn bowling fields; Victorian promenades and water gardens; dozens of hiking and walking trails; an aquatic park; numerous sculptures; and the Carriage House of Springfielder [[Everett Hosmer Barney]], the man who invented the [[ice skate]] and popularized the [[roller skate]] during the 19th century. During the holiday season, Forest Park hosts the nationally renowned lighting display, [[Bright Nights (Springfield)|Bright Nights]]. Contrary to popular belief, the park was not designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted.
* King Philip's Stockade is an historic park, famous as the site where Native Americans organized the 1675 Sack of Springfield; The Stockade features numerous picnic pavilions, excellent views of the [[Connecticut River Valley]], and a sculpture of ''The Windsor Indian'', who tried in vain to warn the residents of Springfield of coming danger.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barneycarriagehouse.com/bch/ |title=Weddings and Corporate Events at the Carriage House at the Barney Estate, Forest Park, Springfield, MA 01108 |publisher=Barney Carriage House |access-date=April 22, 2011 |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513090502/http://www.barneycarriagehouse.com/bch/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Leonardo da Vinci Park is a small greenspace (0.4 acres), located in the historically Italian [[South End, Springfield, Massachusetts|South End]] of Springfield. It features ornamental perimeter fencing surrounding a playground. Leonardo da Vinci Park was renovated in 2009 and now features new picnic tables and playground equipment.
* Pynchon Park is an architecturally interesting [[brutalist]]-style city park, which was dedicated in 1977. It links Springfield's [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]] with the [[Quadrangle (Springfield, Massachusetts)|Quadrangle]] cultural grouping, (the museums and sculptures sit atop a steep bluff). Mostly made of poured concrete, but featuring a waterfall, lush greenery, and fountains, Pynchon Park received numerous accolades from the American Institute of Architecture for "enhancing the quality of the urban environment in the core of the city". It features two levels and a distinctive elevator.<ref name="masslive2">{{cite web |author=Michael S. Gordon / The Republican |url=http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/springfields_pynchon_park_rare.html |title=Springfield's Pynchon Park, rarely accessible since 1976, reopens after renovations |date=September 16, 2010 |publisher=masslive.com |access-date=April 22, 2011 |archive-date=September 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919165813/http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/springfields_pynchon_park_rare.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Stearns Square]] is a rectangular park between Worthington Street and Bridge Street in Springfield's [[Club Quarter]], located in [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]]. Designed by the creative 'dream-team' of [[Stanford White]] and [[Augustus Saint-Gaudens]]. It was there that St. Gaudens' most famous work, ''[[The Puritan (Springfield)|The Puritan]]'', originally stood. ''The Puritan'' has since been moved to the [[Quadrangle (Springfield, Massachusetts)|Quadrangle]], at the corner of State and Chestnut Streets; however, White's and St. Gaudens' original fountain, bench, and turtle sculptures, all meant to complement ''The Puritan'', remain in Stearns Square.
* [[Van Horn Park]] is a large park in the Hungry Hill section of [[Liberty Heights, Springfield, Massachusetts|Liberty Heights]] in Springfield. It features two ponds and a reservoir. The Reservoir and lower dam are not generally accessible to the public. The Main Entrance is on Armory Street near Chapin Terrace.