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Chicopee Register A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com July 23, 2021 ❙ Vol. 23, No. 17 ❙ FREE www.chicopeeregister.turley.com COMMUNITY COMMUNITY Fallen Colts Monument School Committee memorializes the deceased member By Dalton Zbierski Editor voices “great CHICOPEE – Just be- COMMUNITY yond the Chicopee Compre- concern” hensive High School athlet- By Cara McCarthy City Hall parking ic field lies the Fallen Colts Staff Writer Monument, a newly-erected lot opens memorial built in honor of CHICOPEE – The Chi- See Page 2 deceased Comp students. copee City Council discussed The monument was fea- a potential evaluation of Su- tured on the July 3 episode perintendent Lynn Clark and of “What’s Happening in heard a proposal for a new pri- Chicopee,” a ChicopeeTV vate school at its July 21 meet- program, and was recently ing. installed at the back side of Ward 2 representative for the Comp football field near the School Committee David the flag pole. Barsalou entered a statement The undertaking was into the record on behalf of inspired largely by the life several Chicopee educators. COMMUNITY of Alex Ortiz, a 15-year-old The statement said, “I Comp football player who continue to receive an ever-in- Chicopee Savings was killed in a single-vehi- creasing number of phone calls cle accident on July 7, 2019. and emails from typical educa- scholarships Ortiz, a passenger in the ve- tors who have been, and still hicle, is remembered for his are, afraid to speak out in fear See Page 3 vibrant personality, love for of vengeful retaliation.” football and respectful na- He added, “For the past ture. year and a half, some school “Ultimately, we want to principals and district adminis- recognize all of the kids over trators have used the pandem- the years who have passed ic to justify mean-spirited and away from the school. Chi- punitive practices creating a copee is a tight-knit com- PHOTO BY DALTON ZBIERSKI hostile work environment.” munity, but this particular The Fallen Colts Monument has been erected outside of Chicop- Barsalou said the actions passing really affected me ee Comprehensive High School to keep alive the memories of range from implied threats to and my family,” said Carl students who have passed away. “outright intimidation.” COMMUNITY Ingram, the ACTE Coordi- have entered his senior out the fall, winter and According to Barsalou, nator at Comp. year of high school. It was spring seasons will be able Clark said there had been 15 Cynthia Lyons Ingram had been outfit- crucial for Ingram and his to see this monument as a grievances reported within the ting Ortiz with football pads colleagues to see the project celebration to bring people 2020-21 school year. Center for nearly a decade. He was through before the Class of together. That’s what I look “There would have been See Page 5 one of many community 2022 graduates. at this monument as being,” many, many more had cer- members whose lives were “It’s really important to said Ingram. tain principals not resorted to directly touched by the ris- have this done for the start A variety of Comp staff ing Comp sophomore. of next school year so that See SCHOOL COMMITTEE This fall, Ortiz would all of the athletes through- See FALLEN COLT page 5 page 6 COMMUNITY Public Safety Profile: Deputy Chief Dakin announces retirement By Dalton Zbierski his father, Dakin attended Editor then-Western New England College and earned a degree in CHICOPEE – The Chi- accounting. copee Police Department has Despite receiving job of- evolved tremendously since fers from reputable account- Deputy Chief Lonnie Dakin ing firms, Dakin entered the first joined its ranks in 1990. Springfield Police Acade- After spending parts of five my and graduated in Octo- SPORTS decades as a law enforcement ber 1988. He then joined the professional, Dakin recently Springfield Police Department Chicopee falls announced his retirement. and quickly experienced the Growing up in Spring- highs and lows of life as a po- to Monson field, Dakin greatly admired lice officer. his father, a Hartford, CT po- “We had a good, close- See Page 7 lice officer. As a youth, Dakin knit, very diverse group of 43 envisioned a similar career in officers. All of us worked the policing; his pursuit of the pro- street for about seven months INDEX fession began early on. before we got laid off,” said Opinion 4 “When I was a kid, that Dakin. “In Springfield, my was all I wanted to be,” said first night on, I was in a foot In the Classroom 6 Dakin. “Even though there chase. My second night, I was Sports 7 were nights where he was in a car chase that went to En- Seniors 9 home late or you’d get the calls field, CT. I never wanted to Classifieds 10 from the hospital, and you’re a work anywhere else, but I got PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CHICOPEE POLICE DEPARTMENT kid afraid for your father, you laid off and went to Chicopee Deputy Chief Lonnie Dakin will soon retire from the Chicopee Police Public Notices 11 look up to him. I still do.” Department, where he has served the city in various capacities Following the advice of See DAKIN page 9 since 1990. IN THE CITY City Hall parking lot opens, bolsters safety on Front Street PHOTOS BY BY DALTON ZBIERSKI The City Hall Annex Building on Front Street towers over the new 77-space Front Street The newly-completed parking lot on Front Street opened to the public on July 20. parking lot. By Dalton Zbierski “It’s a great milestone. This “I think it represents a huge Editor is a project that the city has been opportunity,” said Pouliot. “I looking at for a long number of haven’t talked to anyone yet but CHICOPEE – Long at last, years,” said Pouliot on July 21. can tell you from having no park- the newly-constructed parking “I would say most [City Hall ing downtown, the businesses lot behind the City Hall Annex employees] have a very big on Front Street are probably re- Building is open to the public. smile on their face, being able lieved to know that there won’t Parking is now available on to park off-street in a parking lot be so much parking congestion Front Street at a volume that had again.” on Front Street anymore.” never before been achieved. By no means has the proj- Pouliot will soon work with July 20 marked the first ect been easy. Multiple delays the Office of Mayor John Vieau day that the 77-space lot was and cost increases preceded to drum up publicity surround- opened to residents. Six spaces Tuesday’s opening. In addi- ing the lot’s opening. are designated for handicapped tion to the $720,000 required The parking lot is open, but individuals, two are marked for to construct the lot, the city the project has not been com- veterans and 13 are accessible spent more than $600,000 to pleted in its entirety. Lighting to visitors between 9 a.m. and purchase the necessary Front equipment will arrive in early 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Street properties. September, and City Council The remaining 56 spaces The project would later be must approve an update to the meet the parking needs of City delayed when groundwater was city’s parking ordinances to al- Hall employees and other indi- found under the parcel. Earlier low for the handicap, visitor and The blacktop on the newly-constructed Front Street parking lot can fit viduals conducting business or this year, City Council approved veterans’ spaces. up to 77 vehicles. leisure activities in Chicopee an additional $46,188 to be The presence of the Front Center. spent on manipulating the eleva- Street parking lot is also signif- “It’s absolutely critical. viduals dropping off items at the Lee Pouliot, Director of tion of a new Stormwater system icant from a safety perspective. Along with the parking lot, we collector’s box at the City Hall Planning and Development, after contractors discovered and Individuals looking to enter City will be updating the parking Annex Building. oversaw a lengthy process that were forced to work around a fi- Hall will no longer be forced to ordinances for that section of “Once we get everything required the acquisition of sev- ber duct bank. park along the tight street and Front Street with the City Coun- updated, it should really make eral Front Street parcels and the Pouliot is confident that the dodge moving vehicles, as they cil so that we can make it safer this section of Front Street func- demolition of multiple build- new lot will attract new business attempt to make their way into where existing crosswalks are tion a lot better and have signifi- ings. to Chicopee Center. the building. and have appropriate short-term cant safety improvements,” said on-street parking that Pouliot. supports businesses,” He commended his staff said Pouliot. and the “sweat equity” that has All employees been poured into to the near- Now Picking and residents entering ly-complete Phase I of the City City Hall are encour- Hall Revitalization project. De- aged to make use of spite constant construction both FRESH from the parking lot. Ex- in and outside the building, City cluding the designat- Hall was never vacated. ed spaces, parking is “I’m incredibly proud of accessible on a first my staff. I don’t even know that Our Fields! come, first serve basis.