UTICA — Chancellor Park will undergo significant renovations, as city officials continue to focus on improvements to Utica’s park system.

The park, just steps from downtown, is the city’s oldest park and just one of the many city parks that have seen renovations take place as a result of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Chancellor Park is home to the city’s farmers market, the city’s annual Juneteenth celebration and various events throughout the year. The final design of the park, unveiled by city officials and Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri on Monday, includes the installation of a water fountain that will also serve as a splash pad, newly-installed pickleball and bocce courts, as well as changes to accommodate accessibility.

“The input we received from our Parks Master Plan gave us the vision that our residents have for the future of our parks system,” Utica Parks Commissioner Dave Short explained. “Chancellor Park is another step toward achieving that vision and it’s a great example of a
community and its government working together to produce the best results possible.”

“It’s important that we understand what the residents are looking for,” Palmieri said.

In addition to the changes coming to Chancellor Park, improvements to Kent Street along the side of the park are expected to begin this spring. The street, which is also home to the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI), will change to a one-way street going from Elizabeth Street to Bleecker Street. The changes will allow for improved accessibility and safety for people utilizing CABVI and the park, as well as allowing diagonal parking and spaces for delivery trucks for CABVI’s office.

The combined initiative to renovate and redesign Chancellor Park and Kent Street is estimated to be around $1.9 million, which is being covered by funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and local budget funding.

“The deficit of [people not utilizing] our parks has been overwhelming, we uncovered that during COVID-19,” the mayor added. “Now, you’re going to see a $2 million upgrade of our park that will be used for all ages and all individuals.”

Renovations to the park are already underway, with an estimated completion date by the end of this summer.