Since about 2005 Holyoke has developed itself more. Stores and restaurants have come into the city. This innovation is wonderful. The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computer Center (HGHPCC) is a fine structure that offer computer power for researchers. Race Street has moved from being an eyesore in the year 2010 to being a gem of the city in recent years. The canal walkways are gorgeous and will be expanded.
In 2026 a data center tried to come to Holyoke. The city is fit for such an industry. The computer and data revolution has taken the world by storm for a half century now. Holyoke has the land, the electricity, and the water for such a center. HGHPCC is one example — clean, quiet, and needing resources that Holyoke has plenty of. It uses most of its electricity at night. The new data center will need a lot of daytime and nighttime electricity. Nighttime electricity is no problem. During the daytime it could be asked to use electricity but at a higher cost to them than the households of Holyoke. This higher rate to them could then be transferred to the households.
I have stood near the HGHPCC many times. It is quiet. The landscape around it is gorgeous. It is very clean. They are fine neighbors. Holyoke Gas and Electric gains a lot of revenue from HGHPCC. The same would be true for the new data center. The nearest homes or apartments are 600 meters away. Any sound would have damped out by 100 meters. There is no dirt associated with a data center. The HGHPCC is an example. Thus there are no quality of life issues with a data center. They would be a great source of revenue for the city.
Holyoke for decades has come up short in paying for its own bills. It depends upon the federal and state government too much. Those that depend too much on others become slaves to the system. Holyoke was once the envy of the region. Its power canals and mills led the American Industrial Revolution in the correct direction. Massachusetts was the greatest of all the states from 1850 to 1950. Let’s get Holyoke back on track as a community and likewise with Massachusetts as a state.
Progressive leaders believe that they can change the nation and people’s lives by spending. But that money needs to come from somewhere. Innovation in Holyoke mostly should mean industry. Thus I call on those people in Holyoke and also in the surrounding communities that want to make Holyoke great again to cast out their voices and support. Ask the City Council and the mayor for more discussion. Such a complex issue as a new data center should not be solved as quickly as it was. Let the center explain itself and how it would fit into the city. Let them explain what they do. Decisions should not be based on mobs of progressives that pounce on any issue without much thought. Ask questions and get answers. Question the council members. The data center needs to be part of the future of Holyoke.
Robert Comeau lives in South Hadley.