Month: October 2022

State Senator Ed Kennedy was happy and excited to take part in the inaugural lighting ceremony of the Joseph R. Ouellette Memorial Bridge, which was hosted by the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative on Friday, October 21^st. The Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative is a coalition created by Lowell Heritage Partnership cooperatively with the City of Lowell, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, and the Lowell National Historical Park.

The Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative was publicly unveiled for the first time in January 2016 at the Luna Theatre in Mill No.5. In September of 2016, the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative illuminated the Swamp Locks in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District for one night. In February of 2017, the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative unveiled its multi-year action plan with a mission to improve and revitalize several locations along the waterways in downtown Lowell. By doing so, they hope to enhance the everyday experience of people in Lowell by making the city’s historic waterways more accessible, active, and vibrant. In 2018, there was a lighting ceremony for the Cox Bridge and in 2022 the Ouellette Bridge has now been illuminated. 

The five areas highlighted in the multi-year action plan include: (1) The Cox & Ouellette Bridges on the Merrimack River, (2) The Swamp Locks at the Hamilton Canal Innovation District, (3) The Lowell Locks along the Pawtucket Canal in Downtown Lowell, (4) The Ecumenical Plaza located between Saint Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and (5) the Merrimack Canal located along historic Lucy Larcom Park.

Congratulations to the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative team and to all who have played a role in this ongoing project. For more information on the Lowell Waterways Vitality Initiative, and a link to download the action plan, please visit:  http://www.lowellwaterways.com/

On Friday, October 7 the Joint Committee on Tourism, Art and Cultural Development toured several attractions and venues in Lowell. The tour included the Lowell National Historical Park, the Brush Gallery, the Angkor Dance Troupe, Boarding House Park, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lunch at Middlesex Community College, Western Avenue Studios, the Jack Kerouac Foundation at the Saint Jean the Baptist Church and the Whistler House Co-chairs of the Joint Committee, State Senator Ed Kennedy of Lowell and State Representative Carole Fiola of Fall River were joined on the tour by several members of the Joint Committee.

In September, State Senator Ed Kennedy was invited to join a seven-member delegation that traveled to Kalamata, Greece for a sister City signing ceremony and a series of meetings on education, tourism and other topics. The seven-member delegation included State Senator Kennedy, Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau, former Mayor Bill Samaras, UMass-Lowell Associate Vice Chancellor Arlene Parquette, Middlesex Community College Dean Judith Hogan, Federation of Hellenic-American Societies Board Member Dimitrios Mattheos, Federation of Hellenic-American Societies President Bill Kafkas.

Last April, the City of Kalamata sent a six-person delegation to Lowell to sign Sister City documents and visit Lowell. The New England Federation of Hellenic-American Societies sponsored several events during their visit. 

Upon returning from Kalamata, State Senator Ed Kennedy stated that “The Federation of Hellenic-American Societies put together a rigorous schedule of working meetings during the visit to Greece and those meetings spawned several ideas for ways in which Lowell and Kalamata may develop their relationship for the mutual benefit of both cities”.