Swift delivers funding for Adams visitor's center

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Governor Jane Swift on Thursday announced more than $4.8 million in grants for project in the Town of Adams, part of a comprehensive economic development strategy for the North Berkshire community. The grants will be funded through MassDevelopment, MassHighway and the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction. "The funds we are presenting today will help to draw businesses to Adams and will make the town a more attractive place to live and work," Swift said. "I am proud of the creative public-private partnership that has been organized by MassDevelopment that includes the Executive Office of Transportation, MassHighway and the Department of Environmental Management as well as local officials and area citizens." Funds for visitor's center Swift announced a $2.5 million grant from MassHighway to the Town of Adams for the construction of the "Discover Your Berkshires, Adams Visitor Center," which will be designed and constructed by MassDevelopment. The visitor's center is expected to help Adams tap into the tourism and recreation industry in Northern Berkshire County and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2003. Swift also presented a $2.3 million grant provide by the MassHighway for Phase II of the Ashuwillticook Trail, the county's first off-road bike trail. Once completed, the trail will stretch for 10.8 miles, from the Pittsfield/Lanesborough line into downtown Adams. The project includes the rehabilitation of five railroad bridges along the former Boston-Albany rail bed. Phase I of the construction was completed in August of 2001 with the opening of the first 5.2 miles of the trail. "These two projects will bolster both the tourism industry and the quality of life in Western Massachusetts," said acting transportation secretary James Scanlan. "This is a great example of how the state can lend a hand to local priorities that help fuel economic development." North county tourism The visitors' center and bicycle trail are designed to bring people into downtown Adams to access attractions and activities on Mt. Greylock including hiking, cross-country skiing and bicycle trails. A pending agreement between the department of environmental management and MassDevelopment will also provide for the development of an environmental management and MassDevelopment will also provide for the development of an environmental education center at Greylock Glen. Collectively, these projects will reinforce Adams as a destination for outdoor recreation, environmental education and sustainable community development. "By highlighting the resources of Berkshire County with a new visit's center and a top-notch rail trail, the Swift Administration is continuing to make Berkshire County a premiere tourist destination," said MassHighway acting commissioner John Cogliano. Susan B. Anthony birthplace restoration In addition to these grants, Swift presented $25,000 from MassDevelopment, the state's quasi-public economic development authority, to the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace to fund a historic structures report. This will be a critical first step in the restoration of a historic property that commemorates an important turning point in the struggle for women's suffrage. Swift also discussed the importance of a $25,000 grant, also from MassDevelopment, to the Adams Technology Center. This predevelopment assistance grant, awarded in the fall of 2001, is being used to assess the feasibility and assists in the marketing of a high tech center in Adams. The center is expected to attract a variety of entrepreneurial companies and encourage private investment. In this period of fiscal uncertainty and challenging economy, the investments made this past year in the future of Adams and the Berkshire will create many needed jobs for citizens of these economically targeted areas," said Michael P. Hogan, chief executive officer of MassDevelopment. In June 2001, Swift pledged her commitment to ensuring that Adams received the necessary support and resources from a variety of agencies to assist in its revitalization efforts. MassDevelopment, in partnership with the town, has made significant strides in advancing the economic revitalization plan following grants launched last September. Since that time, environmental contamination has been removed, hazardous, designs have been finalized, construction has been planned and the private sector is once again investing in Adams.
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Community Hero: Noelle Howland

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Noelle Howland is committed to keeping alive the late Pittsfield ACO Eleanor Sonsini's mission of helping animals ... albeit farther north in North Adams.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — No Paws Left Behind Executive Director Noelle Howland has been selected as the November Community Hero of the Month. 
 
The Community Hero of the Month series honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in their community. The series sponsor, Haddad Auto, has extended this initiative for one more month.
 
Howland breathed new life into the mission of the former Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, which closed in August 2023. 
 
The shelter in Pittsfield operated under the mission established by Eleanor Sonsini, a local animal rights activist and longtime animal control officer in Pittsfield, to be a no-kill shelter committed to finding surrendered and abandoned pets new forever homes. 
 
Howland's love for animals, dedication to their well-being, and expertise in animal behavior and training and shelter management brought this mission to new heights at No Paws Left Behind, a new shelter for dogs located at 69 Hodges Cross Road. 
 
"I want people to understand that I know it's hard to surrender. So, my biggest thing is [making sure] people know that, of course, we're not judging you. We're here to help you," Howland said. 
 
When Sonsini announced its closing, Howland, who was the shelter's manager, worked to save it, launching fundraising initiatives. However, the previous board decided to close the shelter down and agreed to let Howland open her own shelter using their mission. 
 
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