The Boardwalk is getting a Booth’let! MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, banks, and communities to stimulate economic growth. MassDevelopment has awarded a $10,000 Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places grant to the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce for its Riverfront Boardwalk “Booth’let,” a new parklet to be set up on Merrimack Street featuring outdoor dining space and booths where local retailers can sell products. The organization will use funds to buy outdoor chairs, tables, planters, canopy canvasses, lighting, and hardware to set up the booths. The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will also launch a crowdfunding campaign; if the organization reaches its $15,000 goal, it will receive an additional matching grant from MassDevelopment. The grant was awarded through MassDevelopment’s special Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places, which was made available specifically to assist local economic recovery efforts as community partners prepare public spaces and commercial districts to serve residents and visitors. The downtown Haverhill booth’let will aim to do just that.
The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission prides itself in connecting our local partners to resources. Massachusetts is blessed with a myriad of programs that municipalities and local partners can apply too. MVPC works closely with our stakeholders to align visions and resources behind common goals. One of the key goals identified in our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is the continued revitalization of our downtowns. Haverhill was built around the Merrimack River and a crucial part of its downtown vision is the continued reorientation toward the river. This grant will help further that vision by funding placemaking equipment along the new boardwalk.
About MVPC’S CEDS Program
Downtowns/City Centers are one of the four pillars of the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), the guiding economic development document for the region created with input from stakeholders throughout the Valley. MVPC works closely with our municipal partners and downtown stakeholders to ensure our downtowns remain vibrant anchors of our communities. To learn more about your program, contact Nate Robertson at MVPC at nrobertson@ mvpc.org.