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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.” — MARGARET FULLER
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 85 NO. 165
FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016
75 cents
Planners tour Hilltowns for Community Compact By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – Representatives from MassDevelopment, Elan Planning/Design/ Landscape Architecture and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) joined Gateway Hilltown representatives Thursday to move forward on the Community Compact agreements that were signed by the towns in May. Each of the six towns has pledged to work together to explore sharing services and to bring economic revitalization to the area. Toward that end, the town governments have assigned two members of their Select Boards to the newly named Hilltown Collaborative effort. MassDevelopment has been tasked to administer a $40,000 grant to the Hilltown Collaborative for the economic development piece, and will work with Elan, out of Saratoga Springs. PVPC will be the adminis-
trative liaison and provide technical assistance to help the towns explore shared services. On Thursday, following a welcome and introduction at Stanton Hall in Huntington, the group of fifteen boarded a fifteen-passenger van driven by Huntington Selectman John McVeigh to tour the towns, as representatives from each told its history, and shared landmarks and current struggles. Some of the recurring themes included declining and aging populations, lack of broadband access, and challenges to business development. Driving down Historic Route 20, the group was informed about the Westfield River Whitewater Races, the oldest continuing whitewater race in the country, and the importance of the river to the community. Derrick Mason of Russell spoke about the former thriving paper mill businesses in the town as the van drove past Texon, the last of See Community, Page 3
The Hilltown Collaborative and planners stopped for lunch at The Common Table, Chester’s newest farm-to-table restaurant. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Boating safety concerns discussed in Southwick
Carrington Road in Russell reopens By AMY PORTER Correspondent RUSSELL – Carrington Road in Russell reopened Thursday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, after being closed since April 11. The road, which connects Montgomery to Russell, is the only alternate to Route 20, and was missed by many residents and visitors. Russell Highway Superintendent John R. Hoppe said a section of the road had to be dug down to a stable platform and rebuilt, and the retaining wall, which is on a steep grade over the railroad tracks along the Westfield River, replaced with a new MSE wall (Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall). New drainage was installed to catch the storm water, along with a new road surface to complete the project and make it a two lane road again. Hoppe said he was able to work with the contractors to lower the existing culverts under the road, something that required a special hammer for the ledge. Hoppe said prior superintendents didn’t have access to the machine to do that work. He hopes the lowered culverts will eliminate the frost heaving along the road. Almost $1 million of a MassWorks grant was used to complete the project.
Russell held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Carrington Road on Thursday. (Submitted photo) “It went pretty good. There were a couple of delays, but we got it done,” Hoppe said. The road was originally slated to reopen June 30. Northern Construction Service, LLC of Palmer, Mass., specializing in bridge construction, site work, marine construction, concrete work and utilities was contracted to do the work. A popular piped spring on the road, which some residents had used for water, was also redirected under the road. Hoppe said the spring’s running water had contributed to the instability of the road, and was also unsafe to See Carrington Road, Page 3
Westfield Historical Commission develops tour By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD — While playing Pokemon Go in Westfield, people can download another mobile app and can whip around Westfield, checking out a variety of historical sites. The Westfield Historical Commission created a walking tour of the city called “Whipping Around Westfield,” through the mobile app “PocketSights.” The tour will be part of what the group will discuss during an informational meeting and guided tour with the public on July 20, 6 p.m., at the Westfield Athenaeum, that they hope will invigorate public interest in the history of the city. “It’s a nice entry way into learning about Westfield and it would be a great thing for kids to get interested in,” Carly Bannish, Secretary for Westfield Historical Commission, said. “Wouldn’t it be great if a family some night after dinner took their kids on a guided tour through Westfield,” she added. The app, which is available on both Apple and Android devices, works by utilizing your phone’s GPS system— similar to Pokemon Go—and locates nearby tours that are built into the system. The app is purposely designed to be used by people walking, so there is no
ATHENAEUM concern that any location on the map will be too far to get to. Along the way, the app has written explanations of each site that they come across, or users can opt to have the app play audio versions of the descriptions. These descriptions are provided by the developers of the tours, which in Westfield’s case was Bannish. “I was visiting my dad in Ft. Myers, Florida, and was interested in doing a ghost tour out there,” Bannish said. “I came across this app that allows you to do sort of walking tours and thought that would be a great idea for Westfield.” Users who are traveling to other areas can also look at the area they are traveling to beforehand and see if there are any self-guided tours on the app. Bannish said that the initial attention for the app has been low, but expects it
to pick up now that word has been spreading about it. The Columbia Rail Trail is having signage installed that will have advertisements for the app, and the Westfield Historic Commission will continue to try to put the word out about it. The tour starts at the Westfield Athenaeum, is just under 1.5 miles long and includes nine total stops. Before people start though, Bannish had a key bit of advice for potential sightseers. “It’s important if you start at the Athenaeum to get the key for the Old Burying Ground,” she said. Bannish said that the most interesting stop on the tour is probably the Old Burying Ground, but people may be disappointed if they get there and cannot get in.
Old Burying Ground on Mechanic Street.
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The Lake Management committee discussed several areas surrounding Congamond Lake. The committee specifically talked about boating concerns during Thursday night’s meeting. A key concern from the committee was night time boating. Boats that are out late at night in the dark was a cause for concern from the committee. Boats are not only supposed to have their lights on but the speed limit at night is set at 10 mph. The Town Bylaws in Lake Management Chapter 75 states “No per- The Committee discusses boating son shall operate a powerpropelled craft at the rate of concerns on Congamond Lake. speed in excess of 10 mph (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour after sunrise.” “It’s one of these things where you do see people that are out there in pitch black racing up and down the lake with no lights on,” said Lake Management Committee member Dick Grannells. Grannells also pointed out how he has been informed about boats towing people through the tunnels. Being a one-way entry-point, the rate of having an accident through the tunnel is much higher with boats towing people and not knowing if another boat is coming through. Grannells and the rest of the committee members also discussed the topic of water skiing and tubing without a spotter. Having someone watch the tuber or the person water skiing is a major part of lake safety. All of these concerns are rules to boating that the committee is working on making sure that all people of Congamond Lake abide by. The rules are important but it is the safety that takes the top priority. “We just want to stress the need for people to boat safely,” said Grannells.
EPA warns about today’s New England air quality BOSTON (AP) — The federal Environmental Protection Agency is warning that Friday's air quality in parts of New England could be unhealthy for some people. The regional branch of the EPA says air in coastal Connecticut, all of Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts and southern and central coastal Maine could have exceed the Federal air quality standard for ozone. The agency is recommending people in those areas limit strenuous outdoor activity. It also recommends people use public transportation, carpool and limit the use of electricity during peak hours Friday to help reduce emissions that contribute to the ozone problem.