CHICOPEE — During the City Council Meeting on April 16, Mayor John Vieau discussed four different grants that the city received from the Chicopee Cultural Council.
Vieau added that the dates and times of all the future events will be released in the coming months but “would love to see everyone in attendance.”
The first grant was for $1,500 and will be used for movie months which Vieau described as a celebration of cinema with a special focus on thematic screenings.
“We are excited about the opportunity to use some of that grant money for our community here at City Hall,” Vieau added.
The second grant was for $1,200 for Hispanic Heritage Dominoes Tournament.
Last year was the first year that Chicopee planned a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration which included the first annual Hispanic Heritage Dominoes Tournament.
Vieau talked about the success of the event.
He said, “I had actually attended the dominoes event last year which was at our, I call it pop up park here on Center Street, and it was a lot of fun and very successful and we are hoping to grow that this year.”
The third grant was for $1,000 for the Expressions of Love sidewalk chalk day. Vieau talked about the importance of this event and said, “An opportunity for the youth of Chicopee to engage in expression by using chalk art on our sidewalks.”
The final grant was for $2,000 for a Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration.
Last year’s celebration included an array of activities and performances to highlight the wealth and diversity of Puerto Rican traditions. The celebration also included the city raising the Puerto Rican flag to celebrate their cultural heritage.
The City Council accepted all the grants for the Chicopee Cultural Council.
Ward 9 City Councilor Mary Beth Pniak-Costello discussed what these grants mean to the city.
She said, “I just wanted to recognize the Cultural Council for these four grants. They total an impressive sum of $5,700. Many thanks to their hard work and these events they are bringing into the city of Chicopee.”
