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Date: 12/22/2021
CHICOPEE – Chicopee City Hall celebrates its 150th birthday on Dec. 21, but the joyous gathering in honor of the historic landmark will have to wait until 2022, according to Mayor John Vieau.
While the city had initially hoped to host a celebration at the conclusion of this year, Vieau shared that the city has decided to postpone the event due to a multitude of factors. “It’s in the city’s best interest right now to postpone the celebration,” said Vieau.
One of the central reasons is the fluid state of City Hall, which is currently in the process of completing Phase One of the building’s renovations. The newly refurbished auditorium space has been utilized so far for meetings and small gatherings, but Vieau wants to ensure the space’s completion before holding sizable events. Planning Director Lee Pouliot revealed at a Historical Society event that the remodeled space will include heated floors, new stain glass windows and a completely redesigned ceiling to accommodate a wide range of events.
Concerns with the rise of COVID-19 cases also sparked the city’s reconsideration. The mayor said cases have been rising across the city, with the city and state experiencing “substantial” case increases during the holiday season. Chief of Staff Michael Pise revealed that the city had 437 active cases during the Dec. 7 City Council meeting, which nearly doubled the 263 open cases reported in the mayor’s Nov. 3 COVID-19 report.
The gradual increase throughout the holidays even caused some hesitancy with Chicopee’s annual tree lighting event that took place on Dec. 3. The concerns led to the city shifting some activities and including a mask mandate for the indoor portion of the event, according to Vieau.
With roadblocks in the event’s pathway, Vieau discussed his desire to set the event during a time where it can be well-coordinated and to the stature of the milestone’s significance.
“We don’t want to rush the event and have something tacky. This is a remarkable milestone, and we want to celebrate it the right way,” said Vieau.
The mayor said the recognition event could either be held in the spring or during the hall’s birthday next year.