This is the recording of the first community listening session about Holyoke’s comprehensive plan update. City officials hope Holyokers will share their aspirations and priorities for the future of our community at any or all of the community listening sessions.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, under MGL Ch 41 Sec. 81D, requires cities and towns to maintain a comprehensive plan for their long-term physical development. Through comprehensive plans, cities and towns envision aspirational futures for themselves and identify implementation pathways for achieving them. These plans span all aspects of physical development— from the types of housing we have in our community, to how we get around, to our resilience to climate change, and more. Holyoke hasn’t updated its comprehensive plan since 1999.

A lot has changed since then and fresh ideas are needed. The 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update will refresh Holyoke’s vision for its future.

This first listening session took place at the Holyoke High School on September 25, 2024.

There are two more public sessions, scheduled for:

Community Listening Session #2 Saturday, October 26, 10 am – 1 p m (drop-in format) Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton St.

Community Listening Session #3 Thursday, November 21, 5-7 pm Location TBA