The town of Killington and about 60 state and U.S. representatives boarded two buses on Wednesday and made their way down to the future site of Killington Forward’s municipal water project’s pump house.  After the ribbon and tree cutting, guests headed back to the KPAA Welcome Center for a reception and light lunch. Thank you to Dream Maker Bakers, the Swiss Farm Market and Liquid Art for the tasty delights!

This $47 million infrastructure project has finally begun after 35 years of planning. The project as most of you know, will usher in a new ski village and provide benefits to the broader region. This first phase is the introduction of the municipal water pump station, which will be essential in addressing the town’s clean water issues. Additionally, the infrastructure is set to support new housing projects. The projects initial stages alone are expected to boost the town’s taxable grand list by over $250 million.

We all agree that change can be intimidating, especially in our tight knit community. However, the benefits of this infrastructure project are far reaching. Killington residents and businesses have been lacking a reliable water source and this project will finally address this long-standing issue to provide clean, municipal water.

There are many other benefits with the addition of the village, such as the economic boost, job opportunities and hopefully the facilitation of new affordable housing. The regional benefit or ripple effect of the overall development will extend beyond Killington and likely bring an increase in tourism, recreation, shopping, and ease of travel along the Route 4 corridor. While new developments can be concerning for some, embracing change with an open heart can lead to growth and new opportunities for us and for future generations. And just like that- with the slightest flick (or in this case ribbon snip) – the beat changes!

Killington Resort will be hosting it’s annual Harvest Fare on Saturday, October 7th while the Chaffee Art Center assembles artisans for their Fall Art in the Park. There is something for everyone at both events, including fun activities for the kids!

Mother Nature is at it again, and after a beautiful week of summer weather accompanied by fall colors, based on the forecast, snow just might be falling very soon! Merchant Pass information should be out next week! Please remember that your business membership dues must be paid in full before merchant passes can be purchased. You’ll find information below about membership renewal. Thanks to all of you who have completed the worksheet and sent in your dues!

We are well into the planning for this year’s Vermont Holiday Festival. Save the dates of December 8th & 9th at the Killington Grand Hotel. This popular event includes our Friday night community mixer along with the local schools music program and live music. Saturday we’ll bring you a Pancake Breakfast with Santa! Both days will have the beloved Festival of Trees, and Vendor Village. Watch for details in the upcoming weeks.

We are thrilled that the Welcome Center has been used for a few different events this past month. The Rotary meets every Wednesday night, and we have recently had a Sip and Paint Class with Kelly Gearwar, Wednesday night Yoga with Mountain Girl Yoga, and of course the celebration for the Killington Forward ribbon cutting! If you have an event or meeting coming up consider using The Welcome Center, it is one of the perks of being a member!

Make sure not to miss our joint mixer with CEDRR on Tuesday at Allen Pools and Spas. Hope to see many of you there!