Bryan Farr and Michele Kenney cutt the ribbon at the grand opening of the Village Enterprise Center in Chester. (Photo submitted)
CHESTER – The Village Enterprise Center at 26 Main Street held a ribbon cutting and grand opening on Thursday. The center, which houses the Historic Route 20 Association, Jacob’s Ladder Business Association (JLBA) and a classroom site for the Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center (SHAEC), will also serve as a Welcome Center for Chester and the entire Southern Hilltowns region.
State Senator Adam G. Hinds (D-Pittsfield) attended the official ribbon-cutting at 6 p.m. and presented a congratulatory certificate from the Commonwealth, as Bryan Farr of the Historic Route 20 Association and Michele Kenney, president of the JLBA and director of SHAEC cut the ribbon.
Sen. Adam G. Hinds presents a congratulatory certificate from the state. (Photo submitted)
The Center will be open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for scheduled classes in the evening. Besides serving as a location for SHAEC, Hilltown Economic Development Director Jeanne LeClair will offer Biztro, a small business support drop-in on Mondays from 4 to 7 p.m., offering help with websites, business plans and marketing.
Bryan Farr, of Historic Route 20, who will be manning the Welcome Center during the day said that over the summer, volunteers may also be asked to keep the Center open weekends.
“We had so many people of all walks of life stopping by to see what it’s all about,” said Kenney about the opening. “Part of what we do here as a Visitor’s Center is promote the region, and what JLBA does is promote our businesses. What we all have in common here is economic development,” she added.
Kenney said the Center is a result of over a year’s worth of meetings and discussions. “I’m very happy with the results of our collaborative effort, and very excited to see it go forward,” Kenney said.
