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| By G. Michael Dobbs Managing Editor HOLYOKE - Sometimes it pays to wait. City officials had applied for a $75,000 tourism grant from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority in December 2005. Last week, members of the Passport Holyoke group gathered at the Children's Museum with Mayor Michael Sullivan and State Senator Michael Knapik (R-Westfield) for the announcement the city had received a $12,500 grant from that granting cycle. Kathy Anderson, the director of economic development for the city, said that due to uncertain budget issues at the Turnpike Authority over the last several years, the grant program had been put on hold. Knapik thanked Turnpike Authority Chairman John Cogliano for releasing the grant money. The Turnpike Authority has been awarding grants to cities to encourage tourism since 1997 and Holyoke last received a $50,000 grant for its "Hot Dam" campaign several years ago, she said. The $12,500 will be used to create and distribute rack cards at rest stops along the Turnpike detailing Holyoke attractions that are part of Passport Holyoke including the Wistariahurst Museum, the Children's Museum, the Volleyball hall of Fame, the Holyoke Heritage State Park and the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, among others. The funding will also be used to create signage to guide people to the various attractions, added Carol Constant, executive director of the Wistariahurst Museum. Constant said that in the absence of Celebrate Holyoke, the former annual music festival produced by the now defunct Greater Holyoke, Inc., Passport Holyoke members are considering starting several citywide programs or festivals. Knapik said that his office would assist city officials in applying for another grant. For more information on Passport Holyoke, log onto www.passportholyoke.org. |