2024 Year in Review: Adams' Greylock Glen Vision Coming to Fruition
ADAMS, Mass. — This was the year when Adams may have finally captured its white whale.
Some 70 years after a tramway was proposed for the Greylock Glen, and decades after other failed projects, the ribbon was cut on the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center — the first tangible development in the 1,063-acre parcel.
The $7.3 million center is the first step in what Adams officials hope will become a bustling recreational venue at the foot of Mount Greylock.
The Greylock Glen's recent history has had a tighter focus with the town more in control of a concept that includes a camping area, amphitheater, outdoor educational center, trail network, and lodge. The project was largely funded by the state with federal and local support.
This vision for the foot of Mount Greylock began 18 years ago when the town of Adams signed an agreement with state to develop the parcel after numerous private entities had failed. It took years of meetings with local stakeholders to hash out agreements over conservation, recreation and development along with hefty sums of public funding to make it a reality.
That culminated in October's ribbon cutting at the center, although the building isn't expected to be fully open with programming and amenities until this spring.
The town also reached agreements with Mass Audubon to provide educational content and an Agawam catering company as the food service vendor. The first employees — Director Michael Wynn and Building and Grounds Superintendent Robert Wojcik — were brought on board.
Shared Estates signed a 25-year agreement to develop the next step in project — the campground — expected to start construction this coming year, and a solar company was signed on to install and operate solar carports that will power the center.
The town's management of the project hasn't gone without criticism, with residents raising concerns about the locations and types of accommodations at the proposed campground and calling for the creation of the planned commission to run the glen.
A citizens' petition on a special town meeting warrant this month would have authorized the Selectmen to resubmit to the Legislature language created in 2019 to establish a nonprofit commission with oversight and financial authority over the glen.
Supporters said a commission would bring in "experts" to oversee the construction and contracts and lift the financial burden from the town. Town officials countered that it would disrupt current contract negotiations and put any future revenue such as leases directly into the nonprofit's pockets — not the town's.
Town meeting members roundly rejected the article while approving the solar contract and the sale of the Memorial Building.
The former Adams Memorial Middle School was built in 1952 as a high school and was later an elementary school. It was closed in 2009 because of budgetary and building issues. The town has invested money into it to keep it sound but the section officials want to keep as community and senior center needs about $1 million in renovations.
Town meeting members authorized sale of the building for $50,000 to Michael Mackin Construction, the only bidder on the request for proposals after a previous winner in 2022 pulled out over financing.
Greenfield company plans to invest $11 million to $13 million to build out 20 or more one- and two-bedroom apartments in the three-story classroom wing that parallels Columbia Street, upgrade the gym and auditorium for lease back to the town and renovate the cafeteria area for retail or restaurant.
In other town news, Ann Bartlett was elected along with incumbent John Duval to three-year terms on the Board of Selectmen; Jay Green submitted his resignation as town administrator to take the post of Lenox town manager; Kenneth Walto, retired as Dalton's town manager, was selected to replace Green in the interim; financial assistant Ashley Satko was promoted to town accountant and finance director, to replace the departing Crystal Wojcik. The Selectmen also approved the spending $147,000 in Chapter 90 road funds on a paving machine as a way to reduce costs.
There were a number of new business openings and moving in Adams this year, including Community Health Program's opening of a dental practice on Depot Street, in the former Adams Internists. Smith Bros.-McAndrews Insurance made yet another move on Park Street to the former Red Carpet Restaurant. President and CEO David Bissaillon purchased and renovated the vacant restaurant, which closed in 2019, as a permanent home for the legacy company.
The iconic Worcester Lunch Car on Park Street reopened under new management as M&J's Taste of Home operated by Jeanne and Mark Lapier. The Lapiers have run M&J's food truck and catering and were looking for a more permanent home. Also opening this year was Thomas Buckley's Hardline Studio offering original tattoos on Park Street.
Residents in Adams and Cheshire were being tormented by flickering and strobing lights caused power needs of a "very large" customer "downriver" of the towns. This was presumably Temescal Wellness on Curran Highway that has since ceased operations. Other residents near Specialty Minerals were seeing their cars and homes and windows covered by sticky, gritty residue. The company blamed it on a duct failure that allowed dust to release during a processing operation.
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