Tornado debris cleanup grants for Brimfield and Sturbridge are scheduled to be announced.
This is an updated version of a story posted at 1:03 this afternoon.
Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan, at the podium, announced a $ 141,690 grant to assist West Springfield with tornado debris cleanup and for the demolition of an abandoned building. The press conference was held Tuesday at the corner of Main Street and Memorial Ave. Also on hand for the announcement behind him, left to right, Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger, State Rep. Michael J. Finn, and State Sen, James T. Welch.
Mark M.Muray
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WILBRAHAM - State Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. SullivanTuesday announced $141,690 in grants to help West Springfield with tornado cleanup efforts and $286,110 to help Wilbraham with tornado debris cleanup efforts.
On Wednesday Sullivan will join state and local officials to announce grants for Brimfield and Sturbridge to assist with tornado debris cleanup.
West Springfield’s grant also will help with the demolition of an abandoned building.
The announcement in West Springfield was made at the intersection of Main Street and Memorial Avenue in the city’s Merrick section. That neighborhood, which was hard hit by the June 1, 2011 tornado, suffered two of the three Western Massachusetts fatalities caused by the storm.
The grant to West Springfield, which will also be used to repair sidewalks and curbs and replace street signs and clean storm drains is part of $4 million Gov. Deval Patrick announced on the one-year anniversary of the tornado to help affected communities.
West Springfield also will receive $50,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to replace trees that were lost as well as another $5,000 from that department to replace Fire Department equipment used in the tornado.
In Wilbraham the $286,110 grant will be used to target the most severely damaged public areas in the town. The town’s Department of Public Works will manage logging activities that include cleaning out fallen and dead trees, debris and dangerous hanging limbs in approximately 350 acres of land.
Some of the areas being cleared of fallen and dead trees include Tinkham Road by Minnechaug Regional High School, Main Street and Echo Hill Road.
“When one drives through Wilbraham, the tornado’s destructive path is still very visible - a sore spot for the community," Selectmen Chairman Robert Boilard said.
He said the additional funding will allow the town to continue its efforts to restore the environment impact by the tornado and to ensure the community’s safety from damaged trees and potential forest fires.
Throughout the past year many organizations and groups helped with Wilbraham’s recovery efforts. People’s Savings Bank, the Wilbraham Women’s Club, the Wilbraham Garden Club and The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts all made monetary donations. The Wilbraham’s Rotary Club donated nearly 50 trees to be planted in the community. The organization, Trees Bring Hope, headed by Meri Blanchard, planted 90 trees and is planning to plant another 126 trees.
Wilbraham also received $50,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for tree planting from the state’s Urban Forestry Challenge Grant. Also the late Richard Swain, former tree warden, submitted a grant application to the town’s Community Preservation Committee, which awarded $45,100 to the town for tree planting.