Neighbor to Neighbor

I am pleased to announce Mary Ann Turner as the winner of the contest to name my column. Thank you to everyone who submitted their idea. It was not an easy choice as I was given so many wonderful suggestions.

While we may not have reached the turning point in this recession, there are still some great things happening in and around Enfield. A few weeks ago I mentioned Control Module Inc., a company that has actually managed to grow during the recession. PTI Industries, Inc., is another standout company in Enfield who recently purchased a second building to make room as they continue to grow. Also, on Wednesday, September 30th, I attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hartford Hospital Wellness Center to be located at 100 Hazard Avenue. Just drive down Hazard Avenue and you can see the site developing.

The Wellness Center, set to be opened October 1st of next year, will be over 27,000 square feet and home to Clinical Laboratory Partners, Connecticut Surgical Group, Hartford Hospital Education Center, Radiology Services, Visiting Nurses Association and a number of other medical groups. While the number of jobs this project will create is not yet known, there will certainly be a need to fill a significant number of medical, professional and administrative positions.

The leadership of Hartford Hospital clearly saw something unique in our town when they chose Enfield as home for the new Wellness Center. Our community leaders and the many other people who work to make Enfield such a great place to live, work and raise a family, deserve a tremendous amount of recognition as well. When I had the opportunity to speak with the President and CEO of Hartford Health Care, Elliot Joseph, at the groundbreaking it was clear that he is very excited about this major investment in Enfield and north-central Connecticut and has high hopes for its success. His optimism is contagious. The total project is expected to cost nearly $8 million and will be completely privately funded.

Mayor Scott Kaupin, the Town Council and Ray Warren, Director of Economic Development in Enfield, deserve special praise. They all have done a fabulous job attracting investors to our area and highlighting what we have to offer and the great things happening in town. Hopefully the Wellness Center is a sign of more good things to come to town.