Page 10 - BusinessWest February 3, 2021

Community Spotlight
Lenox Goes All Outdoors to Save Tourism Season
By Mark Morris
For the past year, the town of Lenox showed what happens when uncertainty meets a can-do attitude.
Despite the formidable challenges of COVID- 19, Town Manager Christopher Ketchen said, Lenox residents and businesses have been remarkably resilient.
“Even though we did not know what the year was going to look like, we were able to turn around some great activities.”
“Throughout the pandemic, our residents demonstrated how much they love our town,” Ketchen said. “They make their homes here, and our businesses are invested in their customers and their community.”
What began as a normal year of planning events at the Lenox Chamber of Commerce was suddenly derailed in March. Once they real- ized the pandemic was going to last more than
a couple months, Executive Director Jennifer Nacht said, chamber members and town officials quickly met to put together a plan to salvage at least some activity for Lenox.
“We went through each season and developed a general outline of things we could do,” Nacht said. “Even though we did not know what the year was going to look like, we were able to turn around some great activities.”
Like many towns, Lenox encouraged restau- rants to offer tented outdoor dining and allowed them to expand outdoor seating into public park- ing spaces. The town also added covered dining terraces in public spaces around town.
“The select board lifted alcohol restrictions so people could bring a bottle of wine to Lilac Park, for example, where we had set up a dining ter- race,” Nacht said.
Some developments last spring were rough. In May, the town learned that, due to COVID-
19 concerns, Tanglewood had canceled its 2020 season. For some perspective on the importance of Lenox’s largest summer attraction, a Williams College study in 2017 estimated the economic impact of Tanglewood to Berkshire County and Western Mass. at nearly $103 million annually.
Because they didn’t know what to expect when Tanglewood called off its season, Nacht
We Don’t Care How You Stack Up
The size of your wallet will never drive the quality of your service. MyBanker from Berkshire Bank is free, branchless and a real person.
berkshirebank.com/MyBankers
Banking products are provided by Berkshire Bank: Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. MyBanker priority service and perks are dependent upon a full financial relationship commitment and may vary per individual. Non-relationship clients may be transferred to a traditional branch service delivery channel. Rev. 1/21
10 FEBRUARY 3, 2021
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Lenox
at a glance
YEAR INCORPORATED: 1767
POPULATION: 5,205
AREA: 21.7 square miles
COUNTY: Berkshire
RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE: $12.10
COMMERCIAL TAX RATE: $14.78
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $85,581
MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME: $111,413
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT: Board of Selectmen, Open Town Meeting
LARGEST EMPLOYERS: Canyon Ranch, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Kimball Farms
* Latest information available
BusinessWest