Group announces next goal for Bullard Park: a new lodge

Photo by Tom Rivers: Ron Albertson sings “One Way Out” by the Allman Brothers on June 19, 2021 during an open mic at the new amphitheater for Bullard Park. This was the debut event at the amphitheater.

ALBION – A group that has been working for more than a decade to upgrade Bullard Park announced its next goal for the site on Route 31: a new lodge.

The committee that initially formed as “Rebuild Bullard” has helped push the first two phases of improvements at Bullard.

Phase one included swapping out old playground equipment with new. That was complete in 2016.

In 2020 and 2021, the village was able to get phase two done with a new splash pad, amphitheater, pavilion with bathrooms and a walking trail.

This year saw the completion of new basketball courts, a disc golf course as well as a scoreboard for the youth football program.

Ron Albertson, has been one of the leaders of the effort to upgrade Bullard. He said the group is now ready to work on getting a lodge in the park that could be rented out year-round. He said other communities, including Spencerport and the Town of Sweden, have lodges that are popular for events and activities.

The Village Board gave its permission for the Bullard group to reach out to an architectural firm to propose renderings of the lodge and possible locations.

Albertson and John Grillo, the village’s recreation director, said it’s in the beginning stages of collecting information and a design for the site.

The group would like to pursue a state grant to help pay for the project.

Grillo said other communities with lodges at their parks charge to rent them out, and that pays for the facilities to be cleaned and other expenses.

The Bullard group likes having the lodge on the west side of Bullard back where there used to be pavilions. But a professional engineer and architect will be consulted for their opinions.

Village Board members thanked the group for pushing upgrades at Bullard. The board would like to see improvements at some of the pocket parks too, especially on the west side of the village.

Grillo said the village has applied for a grant to put new fencing on Lafayette Park on West State and West Park streets, and would like a half court basketball court there. Albertson said St. Joseph’s Park on Clinton Street is limited with parking, but he could see that site as a potential dog park in addition to the current playground.