Members of the Marshfield Chamber of Commerce met with the Selectmen to discuss economic development in town – with an eye towards Webster Square and Brant Rock.
Chamber President Alyssa McNamara Reed says in recent months, the Chamber has been focusing efforts on helping small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
Due to the pandemic, people are closer to home, making planning for the future an important discussion.
“Most of the time, when we talk about economic development as a board, we’re really talking about revitalization efforts,” said Reed. “I think Webster Square and Brant Rock are really good examples of places in town that could use some development. For me, that’s more revitalization-type stuff.”
In recent years, the focus has been on walkability in Webster Square, with pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements in the area. The chamber plans on re-starting discussions for a possible stoplight at Webster Street and Snow Road.
Vice-President Jeremy Devaney is a third generation Marshfield resident, and he wants to make sure there’s smart growth for the next generation.
“I want to make sure that when they get to be my age, they’re not sitting around going ‘what did we do the last 20 years? Why is the town center languishing, why’s Brant Rock languishing? Why are we not competitive with our neighbors for grant funding or revitalization money?’” said Devaney. “I think it’s really important to pick up the ball and outline our vision for what our community looks like 10-15 years down the road. Part of that community is the very, very important piece – the business community.”
