Doyle Community Park & Center facts for kids

Doyle Community Park & Center
Upper Meadow
Established	1981
Operator	The Trustees of Reservations
Website	Doyle Community Park & Center

The Doyle Community Park & Center is a large, beautiful park in Leominster, Massachusetts. It covers about 170-acre (69 ha) of land. This park is a mix of landscaped areas and natural open spaces.

A group called The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) takes care of the park. They are a non-profit organization focused on protecting nature. The park is also home to the Doyle Center. This center teaches people about nature and is a great example of a green building.

The park has three main parts. These include Pierce Meadow, which is a pretty urban park. There are also the Doyle Center buildings and nearby woods. Finally, there is a hay field and a wetland area.

Louise I. Doyle gave the land for the park in 1981. More land was added between 1991 and 2001. You can find parking for the park on Lindell Avenue. The park is a great place for many activities. You can go walking, cross-country skiing, or have a picnic. It's also perfect for studying nature or walking your dog. There are 3.5 miles of trails to explore.

Exploring Pierce Meadow

Pierce Meadow was once part of a big private estate. This estate belonged to Harry W. Pierce around the year 1900. His property had a huge mansion with 29 rooms. It even had a ballroom and a special room for plants.

There was also a stable for horses and many horse paddocks. The estate included Pierce Pond and long paths for riding horses through the woods. About 10 acres (4.0 ha) of Pierce's estate have been made into a community park. The pond and horse paths are not part of the park today. Many of the trees and bushes you see were planted when the estate was first created.

The Green Doyle Center

The Doyle Center is a special building focused on green architecture. It serves as a regional office, a place for meetings, and an education center. HKT Architects and Hines Wasser & Associates designed the building.

The center aimed for a gold certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This certification is given by the United States Green Building Council. It means the building is very environmentally friendly. The Doyle Center uses many green features. It has solar panels to make electricity. It also has energy-saving lights and controls.

The building uses a special ventilation system and high-performance windows. Its walls are designed to save a lot of energy. The center also has geothermal wells, which use the Earth's heat. Systems monitor carbon dioxide levels to keep the air clean. Even the materials inside are green! Desks are made from sunflower seeds. The floors are made of bamboo and cork. Carpets and wall panels are made from recycled fibers.