CHESTER – The Jacob’s Ladder Business Association (JLBA) has created a regional map to promote businesses and tourism in the hilltowns. The map, entitled “Hilltown Destinations,” includes hiking trail heads, JLBA businesses, money saving coupons and other hilltown attractions.
Christina Beeke, JLBA Vice President, and Michele Kenney, JLBA President, with the new Hilltown Destinations Map. (Photo submitted)
The 18” by 24” map was presented at the JLBA meeting on June 8 at the Chester Common Table Restaurant at 30 Main Street, which also celebrated the farm to table restaurant’s first anniversary in business. The map is scheduled to be mailed early this week directly to households in all JLBA-member towns, including Chester, Huntington, Russell, Blandford, Granville, and Montgomery, among others.
More than a year in the making, its purpose is to market tourism opportunities in the area. JLBA president Michele Kenney said the map’s creation was a team effort. JLBA vice president Christina Beeke compiled all the business information for the map. The design and cartography was done by Anne Wellington, owner of Anne Wellington Landcapes in Chester, and features photos of the hilltowns taken by Thomas F Post Photography of Chester.
Elizabeth Massa of Russell, founder of the Western Mass Hilltown Hikers, chose trail heads that are family friendly, on main roads, and have parking areas. Kenney said Massa is familiar with the frustrations of visitors to the area, as she has led many hikes with people from “the other side of the river.”
“There is a real need to identify where visitors can access essential services, such as where to get food, find a service station, or just browse a local shop,” Kenney said.
She also hopes that the project will serve as an impetus for new business in the area.
“In the process of researching the map it became obvious that there are many tourists coming to the area, but many of the hilltowns don’t have the businesses to properly serve those visitors,” Kenney said. She encouraged towns to examine their bylaws and zoning to see whether they are creating barriers for new business ownership.
Kenney also hopes the map will encourage hilltown residents to explore their local area, and become more familiar with more local businesses.
“There is a great economic opportunity in the hilltowns,” said Kenney, who along with other JLBA members participate in the Hilltown Collaborative’s economic development focus for the region.
Funding for the map project came from the JLBA, in partnership with The Hilltown Community Development Corporation, and a grant from Healthy Hampshire.
