Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a non-profit privately owned park including an arboretum and botanical garden, located in Westfield, Massachusetts. It is open to the public daily without charge from May to November. Although the park is closed during the winter, people can still enter the park at their own risk. The duck pond area is monitored 24/7 with three security cameras, which are accessible on the park’s websites. These security cameras were installed about 6 months after three teenagers killed a Muscovy Duck, in November 2011. Westfield Bank donated the security cameras, after public outcry that the park did not have any surveillance on the duck pond area. In 2017 a volunteer at the park created a memorial sign to be placed in sight of the life size bronze statue, so people would know why there is a statue there, and can read more about it if they scanned the QR code with their phone.

Frank Stanley Beveridge was born in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1879, and he moved to western Massachusetts in 1900 to attend Mount Hermon School in Northfield. After graduating, he traveled to New York where he married and began a family. At this time, Beveridge was very successful in his work and began Stanley Home Products in Westfield, Massachusetts. popular for their Stanley Home Parties attracting housekeepers looking for quality cleaning supplies. Stanley Home Products is still around to this very day (although its ownership has since changed hands). Frank Stanley also founded the Frank Stanley Beveridge Foundation in 1947, to both perform charitable works and to further his legacy. He founded Stanley Park in 1949, on 25 acres (100,000 m2) of land at 400 Western Ave, Westfield. After he died in 1956, the foundation still honors his contributions to the community. Stanley Park’s hours of operation are from 7:00 am until nightfall every day. It is open beginning on the first Saturday in May and closes for the season on the last Sunday in November. The park is open to the public and does not charge for admission. Stanley Park features multiple natural walking trails, throughout the woods and along the Little River, as well as leading to a variety of ponds, gardens, and wildlife sanctuary. Along with experiencing nature, Stanley Park features operating mills, a meetinghouse, blacksmith shop, Asian tea house, and dinosaur tracks. Stanley Park is also an excellent choice for recreation, with many playing fields, cross country course, a playground, and pavilions. Don’t forget to check out this place in Westfield too.

According to a local newspaper Stanley park is considered an excellent place for people of all ages you can see people enjoying all over the park and the crazy water park is also a home for enjoyment of the kids. Anyone can visit the park and enjoy the scenic beauty of Stanley park. Stanley Park consists of nearly 300+ acres of trails, woods, picnic areas, recreational facilities, and gardens, which include the Rose & Flower Garden, Asian Garden, a Rhododendron Display Garden, The Arboretum, Herb Garden, and Woodland Wildflower Garden. There is the Frank Stanley Beveridge Wildlife Sanctuary, the Carillon Tower, and a Duck Pond with a Colonial-era Village that includes an orchard, mill and waterwheel, an old town meeting house, covered bridge, carriage shed, blacksmith shop, and arched bridges all with a backdrop of flowering azaleas and rhododendron. A Westfield phenomenon since the late 1940’s, the black squirrels now populate most areas of the city and have moved into surrounding communities. Because they are not indigenous to Western Massachusetts, the presence of the squirrels has led to a rather large collection of stories and tall tales as to how they got here, when, and perhaps most important, why? They were a gift to Frank Stanley Beveridge from former Stanley Home Products sales managers, Hubert L. Worell and Alvah (Al) Elzerman.

In 1948, Worell and Elserman brought the squirrels from Michigan to Westfield, Massachusetts when they were to attend a conference here at Stanhome Inc., or known at that time as Stanley Home Products. The first arrivals were kept in cages and did not adapt well to their new environment; they failed to reproduce and eventually died. Undaunted, Worell and Elserman tried again, this time bringing six squirrels, allowing them to roam free in the confines of the park. The squirrels found their new surroundings and their freedom to their liking, and were soon an established tenant of Westfield. Now black squirrels are to be found all over the Pioneer Valley and are numerous especially in the park. Don’t miss the many famous landmarks, monuments, First Nations totem poles, gorgeous gardens and fabulous views throughout the park. Stanley Park is located in downtown Vancouver. Check out this digital map to plan your visit or route. Download a printable map of Stanley Park which shows the major sites, attractions, trails and more, or the more detailed official map and guide. If you are ever in need of a cabinet maker, click here.