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Congressman Neal Visits Adams to Celebrate $3.9 Million for Greylock Glen

Work is underway at the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center.

ADAMS, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal visited Adams to celebrate the allocation of over $3.9 million in federal funding for the development of the Greylock Glen. 

"I know what a great job you've done on this at the local level, and I know how important this is," Neal said Wednesday at the Greylock Glen. 

The funding includes a $1 million earmark for the Outdoor Center and a $2.9 U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to construct the Glen's water system, which will support the entire development.

Neal credited the town for investing in economically and environmentally sustainable economic projects. 

"The quality of life is the envy of New England, living here in the Berkshires," he said. "But having this sort of investment and initiative in front of us, I think, highlights the fact that not only is a beautiful place to live, but there's going to be plenty of opportunity here." 

Neal said he understands the hurdles local government officials face with large-scale projects like the Glen. He recognized state Rep. John Barrett III and Adams Select Board Member Joseph Nowak for their consistent efforts to push the project forward. 

"You have to have a local community, so the Select Board members, they get a pat on the back as well for their advocacy and their persistence in staying with it," he said. "... They did stay after it, and this is one of the reasons that we're celebrating this occasion. So congratulations to all of you in Adams." 

Several state and town officials were in attendance for Neal's visit. Barrett said Neal delivered for Adams and Northern Berkshire as a whole with this funding. 

"This has been a trip of personal satisfaction for me because I'll never forget when we started on this, 'It'll never happen. It will never happen,'" Barrett said. "Folks, it happened and it's going to happen even more in the town of Adams. The Northern Berkshire area should be proud of it." 

The state has already committed $7.3 million to the construction of the outdoor center. Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and more than 100 others attended a ceremonial groundbreaking for the outdoor center in August. 

Town Administrator Jay Green gave Neal a tour of the site after his visit to Town Hall. He said the federal funding, particularly the EDA grant, should cover the entire cost of constructing the water system.

"The community of Adams has stuck with us, believed this," he said. "As I said at the groundbreaking, we've turned the page. It's time to move on. We're not going to talk about what once was. We're going to talk about what will be and not aspirations because it's happening," he said. 

Adams Select Board Chair John Duval called the funding allocation another exciting occasion for both the project and the town. 

"The town of Adams and the Greylock Glen project certainly has been blessed with strong support of state and local government, community groups and town staff, as many are here today," he said.

The town of Adams was named developer in 2006 by then Gov. Jane Swift after several private ventures collapsed for lack of funding or direction.

The center, once finished, will include a classroom and meeting space, a  cafe, concession and retail space, exhibit areas and a reception space. 

The entire $50 million development is proposed to also have a campground, a lodge/conference center and an amphitheater.

Adams Preparing for Park Street Project in October

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, September 16, 2023

The trolley tracks buried nearly a 100 years ago are emerging.

ADAMS, Mass. — Park Street businesses are being assured that road work this fall won't be as disruptive as the 2014 project that took three months.

 

"We're looking at repaving just the vehicle travel lane only. Compared to 2014 this is a much smaller and less comprehensive project," said Community Development Director Eammon Coughlin to a handful of attendees at Wednesday's information meeting at Town Hall. "We're not doing any work in the parking lane that is going to be untouched but probably unavailable for the duration of the project. This is just a vehicle lane only so it should be a fairly short, quick project."

 

The 2014 street project had includes sidewalks and ramps, sewer line and catch basin replacements and crosswalk bumpouts as well as repaving the entire street. Business owners had decried the upheaval that they said reduced patrons' ability to reach their doors. 

 

In this case, the sidewalks aren't being touched and the work should take weeks, not months. The hope is to get the reclamation done and at least a primary coat of asphalt on before winter to avoid having to deal repairs from another freeze and thaw season. Depending on weather, and when the asphalt plants close, the final coat might have to wait until spring. 

 

Coughlin said the road itself will remain open during the work but the travel lanes will shift into the parking areas along the street. Parking will still be available in public lots and the town was inquiring with some businesses about using their parking lots. 

 

About 1,100 feet of Park will undergo a full-depth reclamation, with an initial estimate cost of about $600,000, and sidewalk and other repairs along Columbia Street at about $200,000 using Chapter 90 road funds. The goal is to increase accessibility and replace aging infrastructure.

 

The road was milled and repaved in 2014 but since then, the unstable base of bricks and sediment has lead to cracking and potholes. The town's history is also revealing itself through the emergence of the metal tracks of the Berkshire Street Railway that were buried whole back in the 1930s.