The City Council discusses a Massachusetts Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund Block grant during its July 2 meeting.
Reminder Publishing screen capture by Tyler Garnet
CHICOPEE — During its meeting on July 2, the City Council discussed a fiscal year 2025 Massachusetts Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund Block grant for $341,000.
The Expanded Gaming Act created the Community Mitigation Fund to support communities and governmental entities in offsetting impact costs related to the construction and operation of gaming facilities.
In fall 2023, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted to shift the Community Mitigation Fund to a municipal block grant format along with a regional application to address regional mitigation needs.
Chicopee applied for the grant to be used for three things. Approximately $182,000 will be used for roadway surveying, engineering and design to support Phase 2 of center streetscapes.
This funding should help complete street and vision zero streetscape design services and continue the ongoing Chicopee Center Streetscapes project Phase 1 to mitigate the effects of traffic and socioeconomic blight.
A total of $40,000 from the Community Mitigation Fund will be used for the relaunch and operation costs of ValleyBike Share.
The regional bike share program was previously postponed after the previous vendor went bankrupt but made its return at the end of May after Northampton selected Drop Mobility as the new vendor for the program.
Mayor John Vieau and Planning Director Lee Pouliot recently met with the council to discuss the appropriation of $24,250 to the Planning Special Account for ValleyBike Annual Membership fee to help repair the city’s bikes.
Vieau talked about the appropriation and the reintroduction of ValleyBike.
He said, “We’re trying to reintroduce our bike share here in Chicopee. It’s no secret that the company that was providing service to us had gone bankrupt and our goal was to get our bike share as part of Pioneer Valley’s plan and we’re hopeful to use the Mass. Gaming transportation planning grants to pay for these funds.”
Chicopee currently has three stations installed including one on Front Street near City Hall, one in Williamsett at Rivers Park and one at the end of Front Street by Dunkin’ near Uniroyal.
There are also plans to install more stations as funds become available, according to Pouliot.
The remaining $118,775 will be used for the purchase and three years of service for the Police Axon Virtual Reality Training system.
The training program is to address casino impacts identified as increased interaction between public safety personnel and casino patrons that can lead to potential increases in assaults, fraud, property crimes and operating vehicles under the influence.
The simulator will provide reality content that can help officers develop critical thinking, de-escalation and tactical skills.
