HOLYOKE – Mayor Joshua Garcia and Office of Planning and Economic Development (OPED) Director Aaron Vega hosted a press conference on Sept. 21 at City Hall to provide updates on projects and plans for the city.

“The Office of Planning and Economic Development has been busy. The whole team is working hard and ready to report,” Vega said. “Instead of a bunch of press releases, the mayor and I decided to provide an update directly to the press and community on a number of great initiatives we are working on.”

In addition to focusing on the internal systems within city government, Garcia spoke on the upcoming paving of High Street, the next round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and his recent formation of a Flex Squad to address urban blight.

“Right now, what I am trying to do is work with the public, trying to better maintain properties, whether if it’s trash or recycling, alley ways, the conditions of buildings and housing structures, including those that are abandoned or empty,” said Garcia.

The mayor has spent the last few months advocating for the elimination of illegal dumping and litter in the city. His team has been working with OPED and meeting with property managers and the manufacturing sector to encourage growth while maintaining clean and attractive properties.

“We all want a safe, clean and vibrant city,” Garcia said. “Everyone has a role in making this happen. Manufacturers, businesses, developers and residents are all part of the solution. City government alone can’t make it happen – this is an ‘all hands-on deck’ challenge.”

The mayor also shared that within the next two weeks High Street will be paved in what he called a much-needed project. Garcia added he is encouraging residents to plan accordingly and that while it is an inconvenience it is an overdue project.

Garcia noted signage will be posted and told residents to feel free to park at the city parking garages during this period at no cost. Those allowed to access High Street during milling are emergency vehicles, school buses and delivery trucks. After the milling is completed, paving and line stripping will come in the following weeks.

Garcia said he doesn’t like “shooting from the hip” and that he enjoys the planning process with funds like this as it was an opportunity to get what the city wanted to plan for.

“I like to know what the issues are. I don’t care how great things have been. I want to know what didn’t work and what we can do to be better, and we learned a lot in that process,” Garcia said.
Garcia also discussed the implementation of a city Flex Squad to adequately keep up with some of the quality-of-life challenges faced in Holyoke. Garcia said he was given the idea through discussions with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno who already utilizes a Springfield Flex Squad.

Garcia said this group would work in response to the deteriorating conditions noted since the coronavirus pandemic including litter, poor maintenance of property, graffiti vandalism and other forms of urban blight. He added the Holyoke Flex Squad would be made up of all enforcement departments, particularly the Office of Public Health, the Building Department, Police and Fire Departments and Department of Public Works.

Vega shared some of the projects going on in the OPED and said his office has been very busy in working in partnership with the city’s tourism plans to bring people to downtown Holyoke. Vega noted that Oct. 15 will be, “A day in the ‘Yoke” as the city will be hosting its annual brick race, the Paper City food festival, Open Doors Holyoke and the Wistariahurst Cemetery tours.

“We’re really proud to be working with the local restaurants,” Vega said. “October 15, market day, it’s going to be a great day in the ‘Yoke.”

Vega continued and explained why the commitment to bringing in tourism has been made in Holyoke. He added with growing businesses and other well-known Holyoke locations, it was important for the city to embrace what they have and bring in others across Western Mass. into the city.

The 2020 Tourism Plan was created to bring in new economic developments to Holyoke and begin creating a brand for the city and making it a tourist destination. Vega noted that through Fiestas Patronales, 20,000 people came to the city during the four-day event.

“We need to capitalize on that between the parade and these other festivals. We have people coming to study and we want them to build on what’s going on here and tourism is how we’re doing that,” said Vega.

Vega also added that the city is focused on developing further on High Street and called it, “a big gateway into our city.” He noted they have partnered with Wayfinders for a feasibility study for a few blocks on High Street to see what can be done regarding housing and small business and commercial spaces. Vega added they have had great conversations and are identifying similar ideas for the area as were identified in the 2020 Tourism Plan.

Director of Community Development Alicia Zoeller spoke following Vega and gave some updates regarding American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Zoeller explained how when the previous administration was in the mayor’s office, the first rounds of this funding were quickly used to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Zoeller added that as of last year, the $18 million received has be allocated to projects or to public health responses.

“The response that we provided last summer is what I would describe as a reaction or response to a public health crisis. [Acting Mayor Terence] Murphy wanted to get those dollars on the street as quickly as possible and respond to the public health crisis that was occurring,” Zoeller said.

Garcia was elected in 2021, thus having no input on use of these funds coming into the summer of 2021. He still agreed with Zoeller that the funding was reactionary to the ongoing situation and aided many in a time where it was needed.

“I remember at that time in the community, there was a lot of talk about whether or not the city was moving too fast, and I do think at that time it was appropriate to move fast because there was a real need happening in the community,” Garcia said.

Zoeller also noted with $700,000 of the funding the city has been able to provide money to 43 small businesses in the community. According to Zoeller, 50 percent of these businesses were Latino owned and 42 percent were woman owned.

Zoeller said for future reference, when someone comes to the city looking for ARPA funding, they will first ask them to fill out a letter of interest to cultivate some of the proposals as so many have looked to the city for ARPA funding on projects.