BOSTON - The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism has allocated $8,462,500 in regional tourism grants, including $942,248 in awards to three organizations in Western Massachusetts, according Berkshire County lawmakers.
The Office of Travel and Tourism administers the grants program in conjunction with the Department of Business and Technology. The grants were awarded based on a data-driven, performance-based formula. The awarded monies must be matched equally by nongovernmental funding procured by the respective Regional Tourism Councils. Each of the 13 councils in the state will use the funds for marketing purposes, to attract visitors to the regions’ accommodations and attractions.
“MOTT does great work in promoting the tourism industry as a whole in the commonwealth; but these grants allow the local councils to highlight the character and unique features that each region has to offer. The organizations from western Massachusetts have an intimate knowledge of what makes the area special and can use this funding and their familiarity to effectively promote tourism in this part of state,†said state Rep. Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton.
The grants were awarded to the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, which received $270,673; the Mohawk Trail Association was awarded $182,621, and the Berkshires Visitors Bureau will receive $489,954.
“Western Massachusetts is a beautiful place to be a tourist and our Regional Tourism Councils work hard to effectively market local events, attractions and unique destinations,†remarked state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield. “These grants represent a significant investment in the commonwealth’s creative economy and I am pleased that the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism has awarded this funding.â€
State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, also commented on the grants saying, "I am very pleased that the state continues to invest in the tourism industry in the western part of the state. We have so much to offer visitors and it is encouraging that the visitor's bureau will have the necessary funds to advertise this fact. The visitor's bureau does a great job for our area and this continued funding is a tribute to their hard work."
For further information on the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Regional Tourism Councils, visit www.massvacation.com/industry/rtc.php .
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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