- The whole FOG (Fats, Oil and Grease) ordinance that has effected hundreds of eating establishments does anyone have any idea how the Chamber of Commerce feels about this ordinance?
- The airport has anyone ever heard the Chamber of Commerce really come out on this. Sure they will say something like "we support the airport", but what does that mean?
- Take an issue like the Wyman Gordon parcel where a developer wanted a zone change and did not get it, where was the Chamber of Commerce?
- The bedroom fees for new construction are now at $1,320 per bedroom when it was $660 bedroom three years ago, what does the Chamber of Commerce have to say about that?
- Political endorsements from the Chamber?
We desperately need a strong Chamber of Commerce more then ever and we simply do not have one.
8 comments:
Wild Will...I attempted 8 e-mails and a phone call to the Chamber of Comerce regarding a Corporate Challenge style running event in downtown Worcester last year..the one in Boston attracts 10,000, New York 20,000 & Hartford 5,000...I offered to finance, promote and direct and all I wanted was Chamber help with the biz community..not one return correspondence..not one:>) I approached Joff Smith at a local function and he looked at me like I had two heads:>)
I like to toot my own horn as much as anyone and will here:>) I am good at what I do and for whatever reason am able to get folks to sign up for these events em masse-do many all over Greater Boston, Vermont and Cape Cod..soon to be expanding to Belfast, Northern Ireland..my organization would have created a fun business event that is not the ordinary one out here and we could have highlighted downtown and gotten these folks to support the downtown bars and restaurants one summer night after work..
I am of the firm conclusion that the leaders of the Worcester Cabal have decided that they are gonna fix the problem and no one else...been thru two gentrifications in Somerville & Cambridge and I can tell you from ground zero up that it only happened because of natives aka TOWNIES that had open ears and eyes and they were able to work with others aka non-TOWNIES
down in Hyannis today for Sunday's Hyannis Marathon...Main Street getting the new street lights like Charlestown...new metal trash baskets and benches..looks real sharp
With so much hype about the Canal District..one wonders do we need water or just attractive streets scapes to attract more business and folks?? How about just a sign in Kelley Square directing one to the Canal District??
I am a fan of the concept of a Historic District minus the water and I am a fan of Allen Fletcher...but it just makes me wonder if that $750K federal funds recently secured and was earned elsewhere would be better spent in Worcester helping out those new business in the Canal District stay open with a streetscape plan NOW not later??
The Canal Diggers 5Km in September 2007 attracted 1500 to the area..I got many e-mails and person to person chat that they enjoyed the event, running thru downtown, Kelley Square and the Canal District but they were quite dismayed at how dirty it was and how unattractive considering all the hype.
Paulie:
The Canal District is more hype then anything. Ask the owners of Blackstone Harvest.
The key to that area is reliable commuter service that can get you to Boston in less then one hour. If we had that that area will explode. Until that happens the addition of a parking garage will help little.
Bill
Spend 750 million on the commuter line and the rest will take care of itself.
Can someone please tell me something the Chamber has done the past 5 years, Please do not tell me any of the sports teams.
Bill
I am against this Canal District, but my reasoning is that we cannot maintain & operate the parks and infrastructure the city currently owns. It upsets me when I see one, apparently well heeled, private investor suggesting that we need another taxpayer funded park. Just look at that Parthenon like structure in front of Fed'l Sq that occupied only 10,000 sq ft that we let fall into a state of ruin in less than 15 years............only to destroy its utility as a Park so we can accomdate suburban theater goers at the Hanover Theatre.
When I read of the $750K for a study, I just rolled my eyes and thought, here we go again, taking money from Washington that will eventually come back to haunt us. (Airport terminal, Union Station, low income housing)
My instincts tell me this Canal District will get done b/c McGovern appears to be behind it.
Reliable Commuter rail will be a hard nut to crack. Under 1 hr...maybe if non stop or few stops. We have to realize we are running on private property and should probably be nicer to the track owners than we are in the press, afterall, they allowed us to use their property.
Murray does no one any favors always yacking to the media about the big, bad railroad owners and how awful it is that their freight trains have priorty on their own track. This bullheaded posturing will only ++++ off CSX. It's analogous to giving a poor working person a free pass on the MassPike, only to have them complain that it takes too long to get to work in boston b/c there are too many other cars on the road during rush hour, which cars also happen to be paying customers.
As a lawyer, I am sure Mr Murray has some training the art of negotiation. He should use it bolster commuter rail performance and stop criticizing the taxpaying landlord for being so emboldened as to use his own property. Try stopping a huge freight train out in Leicester or Charlton that is coming in from NY and then restarting it for the final run into Boston. 10's of thousands of tons of rolling weight doesnt not stop and start that easily. Didnt they teach Physics at Doherty?
Jahn:
Take it easy on Tim. For one he went to my alma mater--SJ , he would never be associated with those drug dealing highlanders. Just kiddin everyone, but seriously was a kid arrested a few back for some big drug or gambling ring in Florida??
By the way I meant 750K, not 750M, in the previous post. Jahn, tell us how you feel about the Chamber of Commerce??
If they want to claim credit for the Sharks and the Tornadoes then they also are on the hook for the departures of others before them.
Think the teams are all great extras, but if these are teh biggest accomplishments of our Chamber of Commerce we are in big trouble.
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