An Act Authorizing the City of Springfield to Convert Certain Park Land at Emerson Wight Park to Construct a Community Center and Alleviate Traffic Congestion, and to Acquire and Dedicate Replacement Park Land.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Section 1. The city of Springfield, acting by through its city council, with the approval of its mayor, may covert certain parcels of land known to be part of Emerson Wight Park, to the Department of Public Works(DPW), for the construction and maintenance of cul-de-sacs located at the end of Rutledge Avenue and Wendell Place. The parcels to be converted contain approximately 0.42 acres collectively and are shown as Parcels A and B, areas of cul-de-sacs at the end of Rutledge Avenue and Wendell Place (0.17 and 0.25 acres respectively), on a plan entitled "Plan of Proposed Conversion and Acquisition" by GZA Environmental Engineers ("Plan").

Section 2. The city of Springfield, acting by and through its city council, with the approval of its mayor, may also convert Parcel C (0.56) acres),  which is known to be part of Emerson Wight Park, and shown on the above-referenced Plan, from park use to construct a Community Center to be maintained and controlled by the Springfield Park Commission.

Section 3: In consideration for the conversion of Parcels A AND B totaling 0.42 acres to traffic improvement use under the control of the DPW, and the conversion of Parcel C totaling 0.56 acres as a Community Center under the Springfield Park Commission, the City of Springfield will acquire and dedicate, and the Springfield Park Commission agrees to accept, approximately 1.36 acres of replacement park land consisting of Parcels 1-7, Parcel 10, and portions of Parcel 9 and 11, as shown above-referenced plan, which will become part of Emerson Wight Park.

Section 4. The act shall take effect upon its passage.