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Uniroyal development one of the top stories of 2010 in Chicopee

Date: 12/28/2010

Dec. 29, 2010

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

In 2010, the city of Chicopee saw something many thought would never happen: forward movement on the demolition and eventual re-use of the Uniroyal/Facemate site.

While that might be the biggest story for some people this year, it might prove to be the story that will have the longest and largest impact on the city in years to come.

Other top stories:

Elms College is led by a new president


The president of Elms College may look at the college she leads and the community of which it is part from the perspective of an outsider, but Sister Mary Reap has been impressed by what she sees.

And in many ways, the greater Chicopee area reminds her of her long-time home of Scranton, Penn.

Speaking with Reminder Publications, Reap, who was installed as president last year, said the college has much strength.

"Certainly the most obvious characteristics is the very strong sense of caring and community between the faculty and students," she said.


FEMA versus Chicopee


The message from Ward Three City Councilor John Vieau and Mayor Michael Bissonnette was clear to residents of the neighborhood: call your insurance agents about flood insurance.

The residents living near the Connecticut River who have mortgages on their properties are being advised to seek the best price on government-backed flood insurance before their banks force them to buy it.

Although the city has complied with repairs and maintenance on the dikes protecting the sections of the city next to the river mandated by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not changed the status of the city. Until FEMA issues revised flood maps, Chicopee and 3,000 other communities across the nation will be considered without protection even if they have complied with the Army Corps of Engineers requirements.

Complicating matters, according to Bissonnette, is that FEMA does not have the funding to issue the new maps. That means the status will not change for insurance purposes until the maps are published.

"It's one of the most enormous wastes of time I've seen in my life," the mayor said.


By the end of 2010 the city had made the necessary repairs to satisfy FEMA and be included on the new updated flood maps.

Lorraine's Soup Kitchen opens in new location


As Lorraine Houle looked at the new dining area and kitchen at the new home of Lorraine's Soup Kitchen, she said, "It's a long time coming."

Volunteers have been moving items from the food service's previous location on Center Street to its new one at the corner of Meadow and Pendexter Streets in anticipation of a by-invitation-only official grand opening on Feb. 24.


Although some neighbors expressed serious concerns about how the new Soup Kitchen would affect traffic, there appear to be few problems with the new location.

Bissonnette moves on consolidation


Mayor Michael Bissonnette told a packed Chicopee Chamber of Commerce meeting on Feb. 17 he would continue his efforts to consolidate city government in order to improve efficiencies and lower costs.

The message was part of Bissonnette's annual state of the city address.

Bissonnette noted, for example, there are five city entities responsible for cutting municipal grass and the same financial transactions enter by two different offices.


By the end of the year, Bissonnette and the City Council were still at odds over some of the mayor's consolidation efforts.

Company to stay in town


William Wright, the president of John R. Lyman Company, said that since his firm's largest supplier is in Tennessee and his biggest customer is in South Carolina there would have been an argument to relocate his business to the South. Thanks to a $2.2 million tax exempt industrial bond the company has obtained through MassDevelopment the company will be staying in Chicopee.

Chicopee continued to attract new businesses through 2010.

Canal Walk opens


City Council President Williams Zaskey first proposed a walking and bike path to be created in the downtown area in 1979 and he noted with a laugh at the official opening of the path last week, "At age 30, I could ride a bike here. Now at age 69, I can walk it. I hope by age 99 the rest of the path will be open."

The Iron Horse Project gave the complete rail trail project a huge lift when it was announced in December the national non-profit would remove the rails and ties all the way to the Uniroyal site and build a trail bed.

Chicopee Crossing breaks ground


The sign announcing the coming of "Chicopee Crossing" on Memorial Drive has been up for three years and finally its message is being fulfilled.

Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki joined developers and other elected officials in breaking ground for the new $35 million commercial project on Friday.

Frank Colaccino of the Colvest Group said the site would be the home of a Marriot Residence Inn, a three-story office building, 40,000 square feet of retail and spaces reserved for two potential restaurants and a bank.


Work has progressed on Chicopee Crossing and also on the former Casey Chevrolet site across the street.

Callaway lays off hundreds


In what Mayor Michael Bissonnette described as "a devastating blow to those of us who grew up in this city," Callaway Golf has informed his office the company intends to begin a phased layoff over 18 months that would shift much of its golf ball manufacturing to Mexico.

Bissonnette said the company will maintain "a footprint" in the city and it is expected the high-end golf balls and other specialty products will continue to be made here.


What helped saved jobs in Chicopee was the refusal of several top golf pros to use balls made in another country.



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