Parks and Recreation is Alive and Thriving in Seekonk

If you didn’t know better, you might mistake John Pozzi, Jr.’s office at town hall for a utility closet. It’s that small. Yet it doesn’t seem to deter Seekonk’s new Parks and Recreation Director from making big plans.
A former part-time Special Police Officer in Seekonk from 1988 to 2011, Pozzi knows from experience what Seekonk has to offer its residents in terms of recreation and open spaces. Not only is he a product of the Seekonk school system, graduating from the high school in 1986, but Pozzi and his wife Pam, an electrical engineer, raised their two boys, Connor and Jesse in Seekonk. Connor is now a junior at Seekonk High, while Jesse is finishing up his freshman year at Framingham State University. As a stay home Dad, Pozzi was always involved in coaching his sons’ teams – whether it was hockey, soccer or basketball – and had firsthand knowledge of Seekonk’s recreational facilities. When the part-time position of Seekonk Parks and Recreation Director became available just under a year ago, it seemed like the perfect match for him.
Pozzi is enthusiastic when he speaks about the programs that the town offers and the cooperation between the various sports leagues in town. “The leagues, like the baseball and soccer leagues, are all run by various independent organizations, while the fields themselves are maintained with the assistance of the Department of Public Works. We coordinate the use of those fields and assist the leagues in any way we can. Like providing t-shirts for the new kick ball league. Everybody is working together.” Pozzi points to the Seekonk Baseball League as an example of the investment the various leagues make in town. They recently installed new dugouts at Hurley Middle School that are used not only by the middle school baseball team, but also by the League’s Senior Division. Also, a new batting cage, cement floors for the dugouts and a new paint job on the concession stand were all recently completed by the Seekonk Baseball League.
Parks and Recreation runs various short term programs and special events in town, such as Something to Do Saturdays, an arts and crafts program for kids held during the winter and the hugely successful Trunk or Treat at Halloween. Over 500 participants, twice as many as were expected, showed up for this event for the very youngest town residents.
“We had such wonderful cooperation from local businesses and other town departments for this event”, noted Pozzi. “We even got a call from Friendly’s Ice Cream. They heard about the program and wanted to give back to the community, so they donated the hot chocolate. National Amusements gave us popcorn.” It was a great way to keep everyone safe while ensuring that they had a fun time.
Pozzi also points to the cooperation between town departments that have led up to the new Runnins River Trail behind town hall, which will celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday May 13. DPW and the conservation agent have been instrumental in getting the trails ready to go. “For a town this size, we have a good amount of different walking trails around town,” said Pozzi.
One issue that is facing Parks and Recreation is that “We are outgrowing the facilities we have for recreation in town” according to Pozzi. On any given Saturday in the Spring one just has to drive to the local fields – Cole Street and behind Hurley Middle School to see firsthand what he is referring to. There isn’t an available parking space to be had with so many games going on. Not only will you see lacrosse and baseball behind Hurley, but drive over to the Cole Street fields and you will see Seekonk’s youth playing soccer and softball. Parking is at a premium at both these locations.
Seekonk’s Open Space and Recreation Management Plan Committee is looking at a couple of different locations in town to expand. In addition to creating some additional fields, Pozzi would like to see the town have a playground and tennis and basketball courts that residents can use during the weekdays. The ones the town has now are all on school property and aren’t really available for anyone to use during the week when the schools are in session. It we be great to have a playground somewhere in town that parents of toddlers and preschoolers could take their kids to during the day, he said.
Looking towards the future, Pozzi is also looking at installing pickle ball courts somewhere in town. Pickle ball, a cross between table tennis, badminton and tennis, is the newest craze that can be played by everyone from eight to eighty.
Together with Seekonk’s Human Services, he is also looking to offer seasonal, multigenerational craft programs, for example perhaps a grandparent/grandchild activity such as wreath making.
In addition to playing host to a variety of youth sports leagues, Parks and Recreation also offers everything from scuba lessons to a ski program, featuring Friday night bus trips to Wachusett Mountain. This too may be expanded to included Saturday ski trips for the entire family.
Pozzi is always ready to hear what else residents would like to see the town offer. To offer suggestions, email him at seekonkrecreation@gmail.com. To find out more about Seekonk’s Parks and Recreation department, check out their website at seekonkrecreation.com or call Pozzi at 508-944-4226.