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Date: 9/10/2015
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Merrick section of West Springfield now has a new community hub. The city celebrated the grand opening of the Merrick Station at 389 Main Street on Sept. 9.
The building will now be home to West Springfield’s Community Police Sub-Station, the Community Development Office and the Park and Recreation Satellite Center.
Owner of the former Merrick Pharmacy John Flanagan approached the city with a chance to buy the property in the spring of 2014. Through a mini-entitlement grant and a Community Development Block Grant, the city was able to purchase the building without using local taxpayer money, Mayor Edward Sullivan told Reminder Publications.
Sullivan said the new Merrick Station was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“We’re really utilizing this space. We’re going to continue to utilize it to the best of our ability to enhance the quality of life in West Springfield,” Sullivan said. “You’ve got all those different aspects that are in this building, so it’s a home run for us to be able to buy this and not spend any local tax dollars … We’re delighted to be able to buy the building, utilize the building, upkeep the building and not spend any local tax dollars. It’s an unbelievable opportunity. It was there and we took advantage of it.”
Director of Community and Development Joe LaPlante said at the grand opening ceremony it was Sullivan who saw the potential for the building.
“Mayor Sullivan first saw what this place could be,” LaPlante said. “The vision did the whole thing for us.”
Director of Parks and Recreation Vicky Connor echoed this.
“It was Mayor Sullivan’s foresight and vision with one goal in mind: to better service the people of West Springfield,” Connor said.
The building, with its fresh coat of paint and new furniture, has already made an impression on the departments that now utilize it.
Police Chief Ronald Campurciani said the former community police station at the corner of Main and Russell Streets pales in comparison to the new Merrick Station.
“The other place never really felt like a home to those guys … This building is gorgeous,” Campurciani said.
The location of the building also provides the city with unique advantages, Sullivan said. The part of Merrick Station dedicated to community policing faces the Alice Corson playground and pool, allowing officers to keep a watchful eye on the park.
“We have a presence right next to it, so it encourages people to go there and be safe,” Sullivan said. “They know they’re going to be safe because the Police Department is there. It’s a great location.”
SCORE, a nonprofit that mentoring and counseling program for business owners, will also use Merrick Station as a meeting space, which Sullivan said will encourage residents in the neighborhood to learn more about the logistics of opening a business. With a large refugee population in the area, Sullivan said SCORE will be a great chance for those interested to learn more.
“For SCORE to open a chapter and be available in that section of town is just another wonderful opportunity for economic development,” he said.
When Sullivan made the decision to purchase the building from the Flanagan, he had a idea for its future. With a relaxed and community environment, he said he hopes Merrick Station becomes a place where residents feel comfortable walking in with concerns or ideas.
“It’s a great place. Just by virtue of its presence, it helps our community policing. It lets people walk in off the street. Sometimes it might be intimidating for someone to come into town hall to go into the police station because of the security and the lockdown,” Sullivan said. “But now they can come in, knock on the door and go into the community development office, have a cup of coffee and chat with the police officers. It’s truly a neighborhood type of atmosphere and environment. I believe it’s very welcoming.”