Wilmington Selectmen Approve Business Use Of Town Parks

Press release from the Wilmington Economic Development Committee:

In the meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Monday, June 22nd, the Board considered and approved a request of Mike Champoux, on behalf of the Wilmington Economic Development Committee (WEDC) to provide businesses faster access to approvals to use town parks. At the beginning of Massachusetts’ phase 2 of the reopening plan, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a measure that allowed the Town Manager greater authority, temporarily, to permit dining establishments outdoor dining and alcohol sales without having to go through the typical permitting process.

The new request came after the WEDC’s meeting of June 16th where the discussion centered around businesses like yoga studios, dance studios, fitness centers, karate studios and similar businesses who, according to the Massachusetts reopening plan would be included in Phase 3. The WEDC suggested that while these businesses currently cannot operate in their studios, in many cases they could conduct small gatherings of students / customers in open space. In much the same way as the restaurant measure, the WEDC suggested that the Board of Selectmen give the Town Manager temporary greater authority to grant permits to businesses to use some of the town’s parks. This would help them ramp up their business sooner, put people back to work and help spur the economy. The Board unanimously agreed to the request with strong recommendations to the Town Manager for careful consideration on matters of liability, event description, and size of gathering. The Town Common was singled out as not included in this authorization. Businesses seeking to use town parks or property for business purposes should contact the Wilmington Town Manager’s office to initiate the request.

The Wilmington Economic Development Committee was started in the spring of 2019, with the stated purpose of serving as an advisory and liaison between the town’s municipal government and the local business community. Initially, the goal was to help attract desired businesses to see the great merits of Wilmington in hope of filling some vacant buildings, create jobs, and contribute to the quality of life for the residents. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the WEDC has pivoted its focus to attempt to advocate for and support existing businesses through the navigation of the state’s reopening plans.

The WEDC has a page on the Town’s Website. At the top of the page is a LINK to a collection of town, state and federal resources and sources of information and guidance for businesses in understanding the reopening plan.

The WEDC’s next meeting will be held as a ZOOM session on July 14th at 6:00 pm broadcast live on WCTV

This press release was produced by the Wilmington Economic Development Committee. The views expressed are the author's own