BFAIR's Snack Attack opened at Windsor Lake on Memorial Day.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city has invested some $150,000 in the past couple years just in making Windsor Lake look good.
A multi-year weed eradication program is in process, some $90,000 in grants was leveraged for a new playground and the old concession building has been spiffed up with renovated bathrooms, paint and roof.
What has been missing has been an operator for the concession to make an afternoon at Fish Pond even more attractive.
That changed on Memorial Day when the stand reopened under the auspices of the employment services division of Berkshire Family and Individual Resources. A ribbon cutting on Monday afternoon established the new "Snack Attack" as officially open for business.
"One of the things we haven't had around here in a long time is stability. ... It's tough to run that," said Mayor Richard Alcombright, joking that he'd like to move his desk up to the lake. "We're hoping this will continue to be successful and it stays here for many years to come."
The concession stand will offer juice and soft drinks, packaged snacks and ice cream. It will be open seven days a week from 11 to 5, later on concert nights.
Administrative Officer Michael Canales said talks with BFAIR had begun last year while the concession was closed. The agreement has BFAIR covering the public areas at the campground and lake was well as the concession and the building. At the end of the season, the city and agency will review the program and see if it would be possible to expand.
BFAIR provides employment services and job training to more than 200 people with disabilities each year. More than a dozen workers are scheduled at the lake, said Kelly Brennan, the agency's director of employment services.
Brennan said it was a good opportunity for the community and for the individuals in the BFAIR program, which includes high school students, "to learn a little bit about retail and customer service."
She joked it was a chance to get "low-cost snacks and make high-quality memories."
"It's an excellent opportunity for the people that we support to gain work skills and we're also able to educate some students from the local high schools as well," she said.
BFAIR Executive Director Richard Weisenflue said employment often comes down to the question "what are you good at?"
"The mayor and the city of North Adams provided that answer," he said, noting that along with income, there is "the respect that comes along with employment."
A number of workers (who shouted "yes" when asked if they enjoyed working there), BFAIR board members and city officials attended the opening; a fairly steady stream of customers were also at the window looking for cooling respite on the sunny, 90-degree day.
Jermaine Monson cut the blue and green ribbon to open the snack bar. "I just finished working down there," said Monson, referring to the campground.
The mayor said the choice to go with BFAIR was an easy one.
"BFAIR is a strong, sustainable community within this community and the employees that they bring to us, whether it's here, whether it's at the campground, the skating rink, whether it's in City Hall ... the quality of the employees, the quality of the supervision that's brought strength to the agency."
