>>Valley Patriot>>
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On the Move with Greener Space
and Capital Improvements
Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan
10/03/06
When
I first became mayor of Lawrence, we had a great deal of
work to do in order to get the city back on the radar
screen for private citizens and businesses.
The first step was submitting a $28 million capital
improvement bond for the City Council’s approval.
That first leap of faith has paid off ten fold. Private
businesses and developers from Boston to Manchester, N.H.
took notice that the city of Lawrence was not going to
wait for another handout in order to get its house in
order. Our own citizens took a renewed sense of pride as
the city began to restore City Hall and Veterans Memorial
Stadium. Perhaps most important of all, we proved to
ourselves that we can get the bigger projects done and we
sent a clear message to our young men and women that this
is a community that cares.
Now we have innovative companies and colleges looking
proactively at Lawrence. For months, Tom Schiavone and
Nora Carroll have been fostering a relationship with
UMass Lowell as we explore ways to partner with this
state university to improve the management of the city
and provide greater opportunities for our citizens. Under
Superintendent Laboy’s leadership, the school
department has started a dynamic exchange with UMass
Lowell and my office will continue to enhance that
partnership.
My administration has also made a deep commitment to
provide more open green space in the north side of the
city.
The recent completion of the Brooks Street Park, the
current proposal to develop green space along the Spicket
River near Holly Street and Marion Ave., along with some
exciting opportunities at the Howard Park and in the
lower Tower Hill area, will provide generations of young
Lawrencians open play areas that can be enjoyed by
everyone.
In the coming months we hope to make headway in the area
of green chemistry and in creating more environmentally
friendly homes that will also provide immediate relief to
homeowners struggling with high utilities costs.
I hope to turn the history of this old mill city into a
future of proactive planning that incorporates the best
principles of environmental conservation through
alternative energy sources and storm water management.
We will look for partnerships with nonprofits, banks and
private developers to bring the best cutting-edge
concepts to home building in Lawrence.
This proud city is going to once again take the lead and
show urban areas across the commonwealth how to get
things done!
Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan is in his
second term and can be reached at sull33@aol.com.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The October, 2006
Edition of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 9,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
Boxford,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Hampton & Salisbury
Beach, and Lowell.
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Valley Patriot Archive
Prior Lead Stories
Prior Columns by Mike Sullivan
Prior Columns by Mike Sweeney
Prior interviews by Hanna
Prior columns by Paula Porten
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