Leominster Launches Commonwealth Places Campaign for Community Ice Rink
$5,000 goal to win matching grant through MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places Initiative
June 7, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Kelsey Abbruzzese, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2086 & 617-448-9077 (cell)
kabbruzzese@massdevelopment.com
Jonathan Berk, Patronicity, 617-750-6008
jonathan@Patronicity.com
Melissa Tasca, City of Leominster, 978-534-7525 ext. 260
mtasca@leominster-ma.gov
MassDevelopment and the civic crowdfunding platform Patronicity have launched a new Commonwealth Places campaign with the City of Leominster, which will use campaign funds to build a community ice-skating rink at Carter Park. The two-acre park has walking paths, memorial bricks, benches, a gazebo, and several memorials to the Armed Services, including trees named after those who lost their lives. The Leominster Colonial Band and the Leominster Summer Concert Series call Carter Park home in the summer, but the long New England winters have prevented enjoyment of the park in the colder months. To make the park a year-round destination, the city plans to install a temporary ice skating rink, which will be at Carter Park during the winter and stored during the off-season, coming back every year.
“Activating Carter Park during the winter through this community skating rink will benefit the local economy year-round, as skaters can visit local restaurants and shops and downtown companies will have an opportunity to sponsor the rink and advertise their businesses,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss. “We look forward to supporting this campaign to make Leominster’s Carter Park an all-seasons location.”
“We are so pleased to be able to partner with MassDevelopment to bring an ice skating rink to downtown, particularly the beautiful setting of historic Carter Park. Not only will the rink help us meet our goal of making downtown more of a destination, it will provide hours and hours of free fun for families across the region,” said Mayor Dean Mazzarella.
If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $5,000 by June 30 at midnight, the project will win a matching grant with funds from MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places program. Learn more and donate at patronicity.com/iceskate.
Commonwealth Places is a collaborative initiative from MassDevelopment and Patronicity that leverages public support for placemaking projects through crowdfunding and a matching grant from MassDevelopment. The program engages residents in the development of strategic projects in their towns and cities. In June 2017, MassDevelopment announced $1 million in funding for the second year of the program, which has supported successful campaigns across the Commonwealth, from Northampton to Hyannis. Communities, nonprofits, and other entities can learn more about these successful projects, donate to ongoing campaigns, and apply at massdevelopment.com/commonwealthplaces.
MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2017, MassDevelopment financed or managed 377 projects generating investment of more than $4.3 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create about 9,488 jobs and build or rehabilitate 1,863 residential units.
