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Leicester Mass recently
recognized that there will be certain spill-over effects of regional growth,
particularly since this is an abutting community to the City of Worcester,
and at the town meeting overwhelmingly passed critical zoning changes that
would be conducive to second level industries such as machine tooling,
plastics, and hardware products for the high-tech and bio-tech companies.
These companies will find somewhat less expensive land and a lowered amount
of competition for acceptable parcels.
Large areas of the community are
covered by lakes, ponds and streams. There is a high percentage of land
holdings in the town owned by public entities which have reserved them
for water supply or airport purposes. This provides an opportunity for
regional recreational development. Trails for hiking, equestrian and biking
use which link across the whole region are being extensively developed.
In addition, historic pride is taken into account as Leicester seeks inclusion
in the Blackstone National Heritage Corridor, a significant recognized
National Park Service historic project.
Leicester serves a need within the
region for passive recreation, a vital component of the quality of life
of the region's citizens living, working and touring the area and will
continue to do so in the future. Leicester has lost hundreds of manufacturing
positions as the textile industry disappeared. It is clear that Leicester
continues to depend upon Worcester, the second largest city in the Commonwealth,
as a source of employment for its residents.
The retail trade and service industries
appear to offer the opportunities for realistic expansion of the present
employment base. It is also clear, however, that the economic strengths
of the greater Worcester economy both now and with its growth potential
over the next few decades will serve to buttress the needs of Leicester
in terms of available jobs for its residents and further will likely cause
the expansion of Leicester's commercial and industrial base with small
firms functioning in relation to the needs of industry and the region.
Leicester Mass is located in Central
Massachusetts, bordered by Paxton on the north, Auburn and Worcester on
the east, Charlton and Oxford on the south, and Spencer on the west. Leicester
is 46 miles west of Boston; 48 miles from Providence, Rhode Island; and
172 miles from New York City. |