earning Billerica the official title of “Yankee Doodle Town.” Reports show that British soldiers taunted him with the song during his torture –as they did with many colonists- but that the song was slung back at them by minutemen in Concord and Lexington as the British were forced to retreat down Battle Road. Today, Billerica is a place where residents enjoy a high quality of life, supported by wide open spaces, and easy access to larger cities.“We have two rivers. We have state forests and town forests. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you’re absolutely coming to Billerica to hike trails and paddle,” shares Katherine Malgieri, Director of Planning and Community Development. The town is also home to heritage sites like the Middlesex Canal Museum. “Long before trains took everything everywhere, that canal connected the city of Boston to the city of Lowell to get materials to communities like Billerica,” Malgieri continues. From June to October the Billerica Community Farmers Market, voted number one in the state for three years running, brings fresh local goods to the community, adding to the New England charm. New traditions like the Billerica Hot Air Balloon Festival add to the experience. Malgieri elaborates, “It’s a glow festival. In addition to the typical hot air balloon experience where you can purchase tickets to ride in, at night there’s also a choreographed “dance” with these balloons, and they actually light up and there’s a laser show as well. It’s this big, huge choreographed production which is growing excitement in town.” INDUSTRY, BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE Billerica’s downtown and commercial areas are being reinvented as the town adjusts to shifts in retail and development, brought on by the national closing of several large retailers. The solution has been to reimagine these spaces with a focus on smaller businesses and mixed-use projects. “In our historic common area we have a 1970s shopping mall that’s being redeveloped. There’s some housing there. There’s new pad sites, there’s new eateries coming in,” Malgieri conveys. “Really large anchors, the super stores, don’t necessarily fit within our existing shopping centers that we have right in town. So for our main road, they’re small businesses, and chain businesses that have smaller footprints.” With a prime location along Route 3 and the Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica has also become an attractive option for companies looking for available land and connectivity. “The industrial parks are mostly along Route 3. We have three different exits in town just off of that highway, and then we have 37 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 10 BILLERICA, MA
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