HUNTINGTON – The Hilltown Collaborative, comprised of the communities of Russell, Huntington, Montgomery, Blandford, Chester, and Middlefield, is preparing an Economic Development Strategy that will outline recommendations to increase tourism and business development in the six towns. Residents and business owners are invited to attend an open house on Wednesday, April 12, in Stanton Hall at 24 Russell Road in Huntington. This event will build on feedback and information gathered during the first open house held in November 2016.
Ideas for reuse of St. Thomas church in Huntington were among items discussed at the first open house in November. (Photo by Amy Porter)
“This open house will be different than the first. The Steering Committee took the information collected during the first open house and stakeholder interviews and used it to develop a draft vision statement and recommendations. At this open house we will be asking the community to review the draft vision and recommendations and provide feedback. We want to make sure we heard what people had to say and that, “we got it right”,” said Susan Caruvana, senior planner for Elan Planning, Design, & Landscape Architecture.
Community members are encouraged to drop by the open house anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The format is designed so people can stop by and spend as little or as much time as they want visiting a series of interactive stations that will be set up throughout Stanton Hall. Participants will be encouraged to use stickers, markers, and Post-It notes to provide feedback on the proposed vision, goals, and recommendations. If participants would like to have a discussion about a particular topic, concern, or idea, representatives from Elan Planning and Design and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will be circulating throughout the room.
The goal of this project is to identify existing natural and cultural assets in the Hilltowns and propose recommendations that leverage these assets to spur regional tourism, attract new businesses, and grow the second home market.
A Community Compact grant, administered by MassDevelopment through its technical assistance program, provided funding for this project.
