Batchelder Street School Park gets a facelift

The Batchelder Street School Park, located at the corner of Pine and Batchelder Streets, recently received a facelift. Although the building is now owned and operated by the Laconia Area Community Land Trust as six units of affordable housing, the land still belongs to the City, and the grounds are maintained by the Land Trust as a public park.

Tenants of the Batchelder Street School Building and community volunteers worked with staff from Laconia Area Community Land Trust to clean up and beautify the park. The park was cleaned and raked, and many new trees, bushes, and flowers were planted. The park offers benches, picnic tables, horseshoe pits, and shuffle board court.

Funding for the project was provided by a Friendly Exchanges grant from Lakes Region Community Services Council. The Friendly Exchanges Grant Program is a unique community-based, relationship-building program that encourages people to share their personal interests and creativity to do something fun and beneficial for their community. Friendly Exchanges projects are intended to create a sense of community through building relationships and making a difference for citizens in the Lakes Region.

To learn more about the Friendly Exchanges Grant Program, contact Kim Labbe of Lakes Region Community Services Council at 524-7755 x 112.

For more information about Laconia Area Land Trust and how you can help the organization fulfill its mission of developing permanently affordable housing opportunities for low to moderate income families, contact Nancy McCurry at 524-0747.