The New Uxbridge Times - January 2022

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THE NEW

Uxbridge Times

Established in 1991 Vol. 31 • Issue 1

Over 21,000 Copies Mailed Free

UxbrIdge • North UxbrIdge • LINwood • doUgLas • NorthbrIdge • whItINsVILLe • sUttoN • MaNchaUg

JaNUarY 2022

$3M MassWorks Award for Douglas Key infrastructure upgrades & approximately 800 new jobs Last month, Lt. governor Karyn Polito was joined by state and local officials to announce a $3 Million MassWorks Infrastructure Program award to the town of Douglas. The grant will support water and sewer upgrades for the system that serves the towns of Douglas, Sutton, and Uxbridge. The upgrades are critical to the advancement of two warehouse developments that will be constructed as a result of $147 million in private investment and are expected to support the creation of approximately 800 new jobs. Also, Lt. governor Polito announced a $314,850 award from the Site readiness Program to support preliminary design and engineering of additional water and sewer system upgrades in Douglas. The design and engineering are expected to support future efforts to activate development opportunities for approximately 300 acres of undeveloped land that is zoned for industrial uses. The two programs are included in the Community One Stop for growth platform, a single application portal and collaborative review process of grant programs launched in January 2021 that make targeted investments based on a development continuum. “We are pleased to partner with Douglas on critical infrastructure upgrades that will help support planned projects and future opportunities for development,” said governor Charlie Baker. “As a result of these two awards through MassWorks and the Site readiness Program, Douglas can accelerate progress toward their economic development goals.” “I want to congratulate Douglas for the success through the One Stop program and commend the town for setting the example of how the One Stop can support a community’s efforts to pursue local development opportunities that attract significant private investment and create jobs,” said Lt. governor Polito. “Through these awards, Douglas can continue along the path of economic growth while also planning for future opportunities for economic development.” Douglas’s MassWorks award will fund the first phase of a more than $12-million public improvement program aimed at expanding utility infrastructure along the route 146 corridor and catalyzing regional growth for Douglas, Sutton, and Uxbridge. Specific improvements include installing or upsizing approximately 9,300 linear feet of

POSTAL PATRON

water mains, 6,000 linear feet of sewer force mains, and a sewer pump station. The Douglas project taps into nearly $4 million in local and private funds and will expand water and sewer capacity in support of new commercial development in all three communities. In the short term, the expanded capacity will unlock two warehouse developments, while also unlocking future development opportunities on at least two additional sites in Douglas. Collectively, the two warehouses will result in 1.74 million square feet of new industrial space, generate $147 million in private investment, and create an estimated 800 permanent jobs. Douglas’ $314,850 Site readiness Program award will fund the completion of preliminary design and engineering of future water and sewer system upgrades along Davis and Monroe Streets. These upgrades would be a direct extension of the town’s MassWorks project and will serve approximately 300 acres of undeveloped industrially zoned land along both sides of Davis Street. Continued development in this corridor has the potential to create many permanent jobs for the Douglas-Uxbridge-Sutton area. MassWorks is a competitive program that offers cities and towns flexible capital funding to support and accelerate housing production and job growth and is the largest program in Community One Stop for growth. With the addition of this year’s round, the BakerPolito Administration has awarded 326 MassWorks grants to 181 communities and has invested over $608 million in public infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth. These grants have directly supported the creation of 21,000 new housing units and tens of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs, while also leveraging over $13 billion in private investment. Including MassWorks grants, the Community One Stop for growth program awarded $88 million for 196 projects in 122 communities across the Commonwealth in its first year. Of the 196 projects awarded, nearly one-third were located in a rural or small town, half were located in a Housing Choice Community, and one-third were located in a gateway City. “We created the One Stop to offer access to a wide variety of programs through a single, streamlined process that ensures that valuable funds can be directed more effectively, to more communities, in less time,” said Housing and Economic continued on page 7 PrESOrTED STANDArD US POSTAgE PAID BOSTON, MA PErMIT NO 55800

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A Shining Example of Hope... The restoration of the Unitarian Church has been an amazing transformation. Once a forgotten building, it is now a jewel gracing the downtown area. Photo by Dave Moriarty

Booster Vax Clinic at Senior Center The Uxbridge Senior Center is proud to announce that they will be collaborating with the Uxbridge Board of Health and the Salmon VNA to sponsor a COVID Pfizer Booster Vaccination Clinic at the Center, located at 36 South Main Street, Uxbridge. This event will take place on Wednesday, January 12th from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Participants must pre-register on-line at: https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/southern-

Family Fun Day Camping World will be having a Family Fun Day on Saturday, January 15th from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. once the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over,

worcester or call the senior center at 508-2788622 for assistance to register. No Walk-Ins will be accepted. Please have the dates of your vaccinations and your health insurance information available when registering. The communities of Uxbridge, Northbridge, Mendon, Douglas, Upton, Milford, Bellingham, Blackstone, Hopedale, Millville, Sutton and Oxford are welcome.

come down for stress free shopping with the children. Camping World will be offering a craft area to keep children entertained while parents explore all they have to offer. Camping World is located at 865 Quaker highway in Uxbridge.

~ INDEX ~ Town News.........Page 4 Society……....…Page 13 Senior Corner.....Page 15 School News....Page 17 Business News...Page 19 Classified...........Page 21


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