Economic Development Committee hears bus service update, considers promotion ideas
/By Carol Britton Meyer
During a one-hour meeting that covered a lot of ground, the Economic Development Committee heard an encouraging update about the year-round MBTA 714 bus and discussed holding off-season events for residents and visitors, a collaborative website to promote the town, and the creation of a handbook on how to open a business in Hull.
Director of Community Development & Planning Chris DiIorio and EDC Chair Jason McCann will first discuss the guide idea – which was suggested by EDC member Jim Pitrolo – with Town Manager Jennifer Constable, a past EDC chair, to flesh out the concept and to consider how the committee could be involved if the proposal moves forward.
Further 714 bus updates and more information about the guide concept and off-season events, such as spring and fall festivals and a winter chowderfest similar to activities offered by other seaside communities – which will be explored by EDC alternates Jennifer Mullin and school committee representative Liliana Hedrick in the meantime – will be shared at the next EDC meeting on Monday, October 7, at 6 p.m.
Hull Redevelopment Authority representative to the committee Bartley Kelly noted that an application process is outlined on www.hra02045.com for people with an interest in hosting events on HRA property.
Bus Route 714 update
McCann provided an update about recent productive meetings between Hull representatives – Town Manager Jennifer Constable, DiIorio, and McCann – and MBTA officials about enhancing the bus service.
The bus system, operated by a new contractor who is interested in making improvements in response to feedback from the town, connects the Pemberton Point ferry to the 220 bus at the Hingham Depot on Station Street, with stops made along the way.
“It seems as though the MBTA is more open to discussions [with the town] now,” DiIorio said. “The fact that the former bus didn’t look like a bus and other issues that have come up in the past are now being addressed.”
EDC member and Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce President Steven Greenberg is hopeful that the town can demonstrate to the MBTA the need for additional bus and ferry service in Hull based on a vibrant economy and that this might be a real possibility.
“It’s up to us to make that happen,” he said.
Greenberg also noted that the Chamber and town officials will be hosting a “walk-through” with the MBTA in October.
While ridership numbers aren’t high at this point, an increase is expected now that there is a regular marked MBTA bus in service on the Hull route, Charlie Cards and tickets can be used to pay bus fares, possible expansion of service is on the table, and discussions are under way about creating fixed Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bus stops to replace the current flagging system.
“The MBTA isn’t a big fan of flagging,” DiIorio said. “It’s not the safest way to operate.”
Visit www.mbta.com/schedules/714/line for information on the Bus 714 Pemberton Point-Station Street, Hingham schedule, including recent changes, a schedule finder that allows riders to choose a direction and an origin stop and to access schedule information and real-time departure predictions, as well as a PDF of schedules and route maps.
“This is a really useful tool,” McCann said, while encouraging residents to share this information with family and friends.
The MBTA is considering an online 714 bus survey encouraging residents and local businesses to provide feedback about the service with the intention of “making adjustments based on the results -- obviously not all of them!” said McCann, who plans with DiIorio to follow up about the survey with the transit authority. He will share details with the community as they become available and encourages all riders to participate.
In other business at the meeting
EDC alternate Irena Davy talked about the Hull Next website she created and expressed an interest in providing a platform promoting Hull in partnership with the EDC and the Chamber. “The website grew from three to 47 pages in the past two years,” she said. EDC members will explore the website and provide feedback. “I do this [website design] for a living, but it’s absolutely a labor of love.”
The website features “Moving to Hull,” “Old World Hull,” “Visiting Hull,” “Hull neighborhoods,” Hull attractions,” “Hull Real Estate,” and “Who We Are” links.
“We’re looking for a singular [online] access point for the Town of Hull for tourists looking for what to do, where to go, what’s open [on a particular] day, restaurants, kayak and bicycle rentals, [and other information],” Greenberg said. “The Chamber has been considering this, and hullnext.com [could be a] big part of future strategy.”
The idea of finding an effective way to create an inventory of vacant commercial spaces that are for rent or for sale in an effort to attract more businesses to Hull was floated, as well as consulting other communities’ EDCs about how they make such information available and “if they feel [doing so] is worth the effort,” DiIorio suggested, noting that regular updates would be required.
Davy expressed the thought that vacant “dilapidated buildings don’t create an inviting place,” while acknowledging that progress in this area has been made in recent years.
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