Lawrence, Massachusetts

8 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 Currently, the city is working with property owners to redevelop existing spaces into combination developments. But this being said, the Tombarello project is a totally city-owned property and will be for industrial use. The city would like to bring semiconductor manufacturing to the area. By developing the Tombarello project, the council would like to get corporations to make the city their home and set up a wholesale offering that caters to the whole country. The plan is to create more opportunities for the workforce and the community at large. The city works very closely with non-profit organizations and business associations. Regarding business associations, the city has a long historical relationship with the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, which acts as an advisory council and helps attract opportunities to Lawrence’s city. The Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce’s current chairperson and executive director have a deep interest in the city, as Mr. Mike Sullivan is the city’s former mayor. The executive director has served the community for many years, and Lawrence relies heavily on their support. “Whenever the mayor needs to connect with the business community or get their general support, the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce is there to assist us,” says Spanner. In regards to non-profits, the mayor works closely with Groundwork Lawrence, a local chapter of the national non-profit, Groundwork USA. The city uses the non-profit as technical advisors to assist with identifying issues, not only about affordable housing, but also homelessness. One of the major promises that the mayor made when taking office was to focus on human development through the upliftment of the parks and recreation department. The goal is to utilize these spaces to host organized activities that help community members from all walks of life. Organizing these events means collaborating with different associations and clubs that could organize baseball, basketball, soccer, and football activities in public areas. But for all these initiatives to get off the ground, the mayor wants to upgrade the infrastructure so more can partake and that no single activity dominates the space. This project is designed to take back community space, but the mayor also wants to implement a safety initiative before this can be achieved. This won’t only focus solely on safety, it will also aim to build resilience within the community, making it a more supportive environment. “Our slogan for my campaign was ‘It’s The People’s Turn’. We want our residents to get involved and to be active in the community to make a real change,” says DePeña. But none of this can be achieved without supporting employment. The Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board is housed and headquartered in the city of Lawrence. This board assists with employment in the area, as the city was hit hard by unemployment due Central Catholic is proud to be part of the rich cultural heritage of the City of Lawrence. IN ALL THAT WE DO. EXCELLENCE C entral C atholiC h igh S Chool LAWRENCE , MA to COVID-19. Now, there’s a genuine drive to provide mass hiring opportunities to reach all communities. Working closely with the mayor and executive director, the city ensures that there’s a constant exchange of information when it comes to activities, such as where companies are being established within the city. The city is also keen to attract new employers to the region, so much so that they offer free mass employment training services to companies to train potential employees to meet their needs. The city has good health infrastructure. Lawrence General Hospital serves not just the city but many of the surrounding areas. These include North Andover, Andover, and Methuen, as well as areas in the state of New Hampshire. Recently, the mayor pledged his support to assist the hospital in all its needs including immediate or urgent care.