By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-995761.mp3
Springfield, MA – A candlelight vigil took place in Springfield Massachusetts Thursday night to mark the six-month anniversary of the tornadoes that tore through on June 1st. The storms claimed three lives in western Massachusetts and left a 39 mile long path of damage. Scars are still very evident in the form of boarded up buildings covered by blue tarps, and the loss of tens of thousands of trees. But there is also progress toward recovery. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
The candlelight vigil that took place in the Maple High-Six Corners neighborhood was more celebratory than somber..
Alicia Zoeller organized the vigil
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said the event was symbolic of the resiliency and determination that has characterized the city's response to last Spring's almost unimaginable natural disaster.
In the six months since the tornado, city officials say some degree of repair work or remediation has taken place at 90 percent of the damaged buildings. Building permits, totaling almost 18 million dollars in construction have been issued in the tornado impact zone. 200 buildings were condemned and demolished shortly after June 1st. Of the 70 businesses that were directly impacted by the tornado, 60 have reopened, some in temporary locations, according to city officials.
Nick Fyntrilakis, the co-chair of Rebuild Springfield, a public-private partnership that is directing the long term recovery effort says substantial progress has been made.
A team of consultants is working to produce a tornado recovery master plan for Springfield that is expected to be unveiled shortly after the first of the year.. Mayor Sarno says more than a thousand people have offered their suggestions at a series of public meetings.
Melvin Edwards, a city councilor who represents the Maple High-Six Corners neighborhood, sees the proverbial silver lining from the dark storm clouds of six months ago. He says its an opportunity to transform a downtrodden neighborhood.
On May 31, John Foley signed an agreement to purchase a former prep school campus in Springfield. The next day, the tornado heavily damaged the historic landmark buildings, and up rooted maple trees that had shaded the hilltop campus for more than a century. Rather than walk away, Foley closed the deal a month later, and is moving ahead with plans to open a boarding school for inner city youth. He says he's optimistic about the city's long term recovery.
Mayor Sarno has also launched an initiative in partnership with the US Forest Service and private donor to re-green Springfield.
The tree planting program will take three years to complete. Plans are being made to repair two public school buildings and one private high school.