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Date: 11/20/2015
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Residents had a chance to give input on areas of priority for the town and its 2016-18 Community Development Strategy.
The Office of Community Development at the Merrick Station hosted the initial public forum on Nov. 17. Members of the community were able to tweak a list of projects before the final public forum, most likely in January, which will present the findings and suggestions to the town, according to Director of Community Development Joseph Laplante.
The draft of the priority list includes areas for which West Springfield could seek Community Block Grant money. Though not every action is eligible for the grant, Laplante said West Springfield is taking “a wide ranging looking” beyond the limitations of the grant.
“You’re giving us a reality to check to make sure that the Community Development office and the town as a whole is on the right track, and I rely on you to tell me if we’re not on the right track,” Laplante said to those in attendance.
The list included preserving a mix of housing opportunities, enforcing housing sanitary code regulations, the revitalization of the Merrick and Memorial Industrial Area to promote business and job creation, rebuilding the Union Street Bridge, replacing the playground at Memorial School Playground, renovating areas that of reach the end of their useful lifespan at the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club, repairing and constructing sidewalks in the Merrick and Memorial neighborhoods, discuss the possibility of accommodations for homeless individuals and families, update West Springfield’s Master Plan, and many others.
Those who attending the meeting said the list itself was a good start but wanted to stress the importance of fighting blight and abandoned homes in the town.
District 1 City Councilor elect Jill Fortier-Withee said dilapidated homes are a safety concern, as well as the sheer number that already exist within the town.
The item of tearing down and fixing these abandoned homes was moved to the top of the priority list. It also included attempting to bring in volunteer programs, like Habitat for Humanity, to help rehab the buildings.
With the construction of MGM just across the bridge in Springfield, those in attendance said that, as they expect an increase of traffic, an emphasis should be placed on building a strong first impression for visitors.
Many in attendance said they wanted to prioritize on activities and programs that helped children, especially the replacement of the Memorial School Playground and the demolition of the row house behind the Boys and Girls Club. Tearing down the row house Laplante said, will allowed the club more flexibility to use the space.
Laplante also presented a map of the town to indicate the targeted area for the Community Block Grant and to show areas that have already been developed. Much of the town, he said, has been built up. Moving forward, they will need to “work with what we have.”
The town can use Community Block Grant money for housing rehabilitation and housing code enforcement, economic development to create new jobs for lower-moderate income people, infrastructure improvement that benefits low to moderate income neighborhoods, community facilities, public and social services and planning.
In the past, the town has spent the grant money on housing rehabilitation, sanitary code enforcements, sidewalk reconstruction, social services, public facilities, such as the Merrick Station and the heating and cooling system improvements to the Boys and Girls Club, and pay for the administration and salaries of the Community Development office.
For more information or to give input, visit the town’s website or contact the Community Development Office.