Page 16 - BusinessWest May 26, 2020
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 River Industrial Park and plans to move all its operations from its longtime location in Hadley. The Food Bank is making the move to expand its warehouse space and locate closer to major high- ways. “We’re going to be right at the center of the effort to solve food insecurity,” Vieau said.
In addition to businesses reopening, new ones are locating in Chicopee. On the day BusinessWest spoke with the mayor, he had just attended a rib- bon cutting for La Diaspora, a new art consign- ment store. Vieau also noted that the pandemic did not slow down construction of a new Florence
“People all over Chicopee were willing to redefine their roles and their jobs because they wanted to do the right thing.”
Bank branch that recently opened on Memorial Drive.
Like communities everywhere, home sales in Chicopee are booming. Copoulos said Chicopee has an advantage over neighboring communities by offering some of the lowest residential real- estate prices in the Pioneer Valley.
“Chicopee has huge opportunity right now because young families are getting priced out
of towns like Easthampton and Northampton,” she said. “Chicopee is accessible for first-time homebuyers, and I look forward to young families locating here.”
Back to School
Vieau also looks forward to Chicopee students return- ing to their schools.
“Nearly all our classrooms are air-conditioned,” he noted, “and we’ve enhanced the air quality in all the school buildings as well.”
Both Vieau and Copoulos spoke of a general feeling of optimism now that COVID- 19 is more under control
and the economy is opening back up statewide. Both were excited to talk about the Center Fresh Farmers Market starting in June. Hosted by the chamber, Center Fresh represents a chance for peo- ple to get together again.
“I’m excited that we will be able to see people on the street again, face to face,” Copoulos said.
Added Vieau, “efforts like this help reignite downtown. We’ve been on pause far too long.”
Mayor John Vieau says better control of COVID and the ongoing economic reopening have Chicopee officials excited about progress in the city.
     While he admits the pandemic was a true test for Chicopee, the mayor pointed out that the city is finishing strong. In addition to hosting a region- al vaccination site at the Castle of Knights, the city has partnered with Holyoke Health Center and
its mobile vaccine clinic. Overall, he believes Chi- copee’s success in weathering the coronavirus is due to efforts by people all over the city.
“It has been a team effort with different people stepping up to help,” Vieau said, citing examples like library staff who made comfort calls to check in on people and help them sign up for vaccines, and the Council on Aging providing up to 300 to-go lunches five days a week. “People all over Chicopee were willing to redefine their roles and their jobs because they wanted to do the right thing.” u
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  16 MAY 26, 2021
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