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Date: 7/15/2020
HILLTOWNS – The Gateway Hilltown Collaborative has just announced the release of its new marketing video. Co-chair Andrew Myers of Chester said the video is the first of five that will be released this year to promote the area and attract new families and businesses.
The videos are part of the “Gateway Hilltowns, Naturally” marketing campaign that launched in June, 2018 to promote the six member towns of the Gateway Regional School District of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery and Russell. The marketing campaign was developed through a Community Compact grant; one of several received from the Baker-Polito administration to advance economic development and shared services in the region.
Myers said that the video series had been held up due to COVID-19, because they were not able to get out and shoot things, and because Gateway Regional, which will be the subject of one of the videos, has not been in session. He said more videos will be released in the fall.
“It’s been difficult,” Myers said.
He said the welcome message of the videos has been retooled. The new theme is “Come to the Gateway Hilltowns. Visit us for a day or for a lifetime.” The one-minute video just released features hiking, kayaking, community concerts on the Huntington town green, and talks about the excellent school system for grades preschool through high school, broadband access, and proximity to Springfield, Northampton and Pittsfield.
“We specifically wanted to make a shorter video, and get our foot in the water and see how it goes,” Myers said.
Myers, a long-time Chester realtor, said that properties have been moving in the hilltowns, particularly in Chester and Middlefield.
“A lot of it has to do with people looking to get out of the cities. People are getting used to working remotely from home; why not work from a beautiful place where you can go hiking or kayaking out your back door. Now that a lot of the communities have high-speed internet, it makes it easier,” said Myers, adding, “It’s a great area to raise kids and get outdoors.”
He said hiking areas are pretty jammed these days, including the Sanderson Brook and Keystone Arch trails. “People are really anxious to get outdoors. Littleville Dam is busy with boating and fishing,” Myers said, adding that he enjoys kayaking in the Littleville lake. “I see bald eagles almost every time, and recently was side by side with a beaver,” Myers said.
Myers is also one of the members of the hilltown community who was advocating for a turnpike exit in Blandford, and expressed disappointment that residents in that town recently voted it down 79 to 63. “It was a tough time for a vote. The swing was 15 people, which was unfortunate. It’s dead for at least the next few years,” he said, calling it a “setback.”
However, Myers, who is always the optimist, said Chester is still hopeful to get some rail service going by. Residents are advocating for a stop at the Chester Railway Station if an East-West passenger train is added.
Myers is also the proprietor of the Haley House, and Airbnb in Chester. He said while it was closed during Phase I, short term rentals are scheduled to go online in Phase II, part 2 according to state guidelines. He said the Haley House is already booked until mid-October.
For more information and to view the new welcome video, go to GatewayHilltowns.org.