By JULIAN MENDOZA, CHRIS LARABEE and BELLA LEVAVI
Staff Writers
Nearly $7.5 million has been allocated toward 20 projects, consisting largely of infrastructure improvements and workforce training initiatives, across a dozen Franklin County towns, including $1 million for Warwick, as part of the state’s Community One Stop for Growth grant program.
The grant program supports projects “that will leverage private investment, create needed housing, and help revitalize our downtowns and main streets,” state Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy said in a statement. The program’s grants come through the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and MassDevelopment.
This round’s largest award, of nearly $2.3 million, will benefit the Shelburne Falls Fire District’s efforts to make critical structural repairs to the Bridge of Flowers. Grants will also support projects in Buckland, Shelburne, Charlemont, Colrain, Erving, Greenfield, Hawley, Leverett, Leyden, Montague, Warwick and Whately.
Warwick received $1 million to purchase and install guardrails on several roads around town through the MassWorks Infrastructure program. Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney said the main focus will be on Wendell, Athol and Northfield roads. A particular place he highlighted is just past the Moss Brook bridge on Wendell Road, where the shoulder drops immediately.
“Places that are dangerous,” Delaney said. “Some of the them in the past, there’s obvious signs that they had some guardrails, but over the years they’ve deteriorated.”
Guardrails, he said, may not seem it, but they are “huge money” that are “beyond the reach of the small towns” here in Franklin County. He explained these costs come from securing materials, including the expensive “end treatments,” which are designed to absorb vehicle impacts where guardrails begin and end.
Delaney estimated the town, through a contractor, will be installing approximately 14,000 feet of guardrails. The grant will not be disbursed until fiscal year 2024 on July 1 and work will begin once the town goes through the bid process.
“It’ll be a lot different than it is now,” he said, “but that’s to keep the motorists safe.”
In addition to funding for various towns, Greenfield Community College also received a nearly $100,000 windfall through the Urban Agenda Grant Program, which Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Max Fripp said will allow the college to launch the “Route 2 Innovation Corridor.”
With hubs at Greenspace CoWork in Greenfield and LaunchSpace in Orange, Fripp said the $98,648 grant will help the college “advance policies and systems work, as well as on-the-ground programming” by focusing on education, workforce development and economic development in Franklin County and the North Quabbin.
At these workspaces, GCC will offer 10 free entrepreneurial memberships to small business owners and entrepreneurs, which will get them access to the spaces, as well as training services.
“They will get free training, coaching, consulting and technical support that would allow them to further develop, test and launch their idea,” Fripp explained. “We can take what we’re doing in Greenfield and bring these kinds of programs and services to the North Quabbin. … It will be a real equalizer and economic driver for that region.”
Applications for the program will open “soon” and additional information will be on the school’s website at gcc.mass.edu. Fripp added that this new program will connect all of the college’s programs, including the Take the Floor pitch competition and The Goods Pop-Up Shop, together with a common thread.
“The big thing it does for GCC is it packages our programs so people can see how all these pieces connect,” Fripp said. “From the workshop, to Take the Floor, to bringing your business to life with The Goods.”
To view the full list of Community One Stop for Growth grant awards, visit bit.ly/3UFLYDz.