Page 11 - BusinessWest October 12, 2020

efiting from a $900,000 Community Develop- ment Block Grant to help microbusinesses stay afloat during the pandemic. Easthampton is the lead community on the grant, which allows busi- nesses with five or fewer employees to apply for up to $10,000 in grant money.
Also pitching in to help businesses is the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, which covers Hadley and other surrounding towns. Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the cham-
Lines of Communication
The chamber has stepped up its role during the pandemic in other ways as well. “Our ability to advocate for and to market our businesses has become even stronger since COVID-19,” Pazma- ny noted, adding that it’s one of the few “silver linings” of these times.
The town and the chamber have been work- ing together on a series of Zoom meetings with local businesses to hear their concerns and offer whatever help they can,
she said. “We’ve been hosting these meetings to keep an open conversa- tion between the town and businesses.”
One of the popular topics in the meetings has been the widening of Route 9, which is expect- ed to start next year. The $26 million project will
add travel and turning lanes to the road.
“This project is also an opportunity to replace
100-year old sewer and water pipelines under Route 9,” Nixon said. “By doing this all at once, it will save taxpayers a lot of money.”
Pazmany said the Route 9 widening has been in the planning phase for years, and once com- plete, the improvements will benefit all who use the roadway.
“Many people use the bus to go to work and school. Among other things, the widening proj- ect will provide much safer bus stops and allow buses to get more people moving in an efficient
manner.”
The widening project will begin at Town Hall
and go east for 2.6 miles to the intersection of Route 9 and Maple Street.
Business owners located along Route 9 have expressed concerns about the loss of business due to COVID-19 being followed up by a loss of business due to road construction. To alleviate that concern, the town has applied for an eco- nomic-development grant to market the Route 9 corridor. John Page, the chamber’s marketing and membership manager, said the idea is to position Route 9 as a great place to open a business.
“The grant would be about marketing and planning the future of Route 9 post-COVID,” he explained. “Hopefully, that’s coming sooner rath- er than later.”
As plans for the future of the town come into focus, Pazmany reminded everyone that Hadley has a great deal to offer right now.
“For those looking for a day trip, this is the time to come and visit,” she said, adding that, with the arrival of autumn, “Hadley will be at its most beautiful and picturesque in the next few weeks.”
She noted that many local restaurants partici- pate in farm-to-table efforts with Hadley farms supplying many of the vegetables.
And, as more people take part in outdoor activities, the Norwottuck Rail Trail bike path has seen more riders than ever before, she said. The path runs completely through Hadley and fea- tures scenic views of farms and neighborhoods.
Nixon said the rail trail gives people another
Hadley
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“This project is also an opportunity to replace 100-year old sewer and water pipelines under Route 9. By doing this all at once, it will save taxpayers a lot of money.”
DAVID NIXON
ber, said the area has been for- tunate in that the number of COVID-19 cases is
lower than most parts of the state. To keep it that way, the chamber is now providing PPE, as well as printed posters and floor decals, that reinforce messages of social distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing. Available at no charge to chamber members, the signage is just one of the ways to help businesses get back on their feet.
“These are not business-saving techniques by themselves, but we hope to help our members reduce their costs as they open back up under the new guidelines,” she told BusinessWest.
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