Chester Village has a very exciting future. In about six months from now, the center of Chester will be graced with new sidewalks, roadways, parking, streetlights, benches, bicycle racks, trash cans, trees, landscaping, and multiple site features celebrating the town’s intriguing past as well as its bright future.

The Main Street Project Committee along with its professional design and engineering team have been hard at work for many years seeking input from Chester’s citizenry and coordinating closely with Chester’s stores, restaurants, and businesses as well as building owners and town officials to first create an overall multi-phase schematic Master Plan, to then design and execute Phase 1 Renovations from School Street to the Cemetery, to then support the state’s bridge reconstruction, and now to deliver on a carefully considered renovation plan for the center of town.

The construction will be disruptive, so we seek everyone’s patience, goodwill, and support throughout the late winter and spring as the bulk of the work takes place. Staging and marketing plans have been devised and will be amended and enhanced with a top priority given to supporting the effected stores, restaurants, and businesses in every way possible.

But make no mistake, the best way to weather this short-term upheaval is for all of Chester’s citizens and all of our lower Connecticut River Valley friends to come out in droves to shop, eat, and conduct business. During construction, portions of parking will be maintained along Main Street as well as plenty of parking in the three municipal lots (the cemetery and Maple and Water streets).

Before you know it, it’ll all be over, and when it’s done, it’ll be awesome—totally awesome!

John Schroeder

Chester

John Schroeder serves on the Main Street Project Committee.