I received a flyer in my mail basket this morning that Americold is closing it’s lot to public access by adding a complete perimeter fence around their parking lot. There is a meeting tonight at at 5:00 pm at City Hall, first floor conference room, to discuss the imminent planned project. Councilor Paul McGeary is expected to attend the meeting along with representatives from Americold.
Gloucester Harbor January Sunset
Although it is Americold’s property and it is their lot to fence, many in the neighborhood enjoy access through the lot to watch the sunset, observe the harbor, and more. Americold cites debris and trash, boat trailers, etc. left in the area by the public as the reason for erecting the fence. This is true, however it is the hope of neighborhood residents that the trash problem can be resolved cooperatively rather than blocking neighborhood access to the lot. The access will be lost if the fence is installed.
Please attend this meeting. Being present will show community strength.
Gloucester Harbor November Sunset
Good Morning Gloucester 
Where is the property?
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East Main Street.
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From Judy via Facebook–Does this include the water access behind the marine electronics store?
I do not have this information–what you read on my GMG post is what was stated in the flyer, which came to my mailbox this am. Good reason to go to the meeting!
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Americold is the “Elephant on the Room” , never discussed in our important harbor plan discussions even tho they own substantial waterfront real estate and buildings . What do they actually do? Are they really marine industrial or anything to do with our fishing community ? Are they a government contractor storing ice for disasters at huge costs to the taxpayer ? Their buildings are very ugly and their piers are in bad repair . They have little involvement with the community and their huge presence seems incompatible with that lack of involvement . They pay taxes is all I ever hear anyone say about them . So now they are worried about trash…even tho their 18 wheelers frequently tie up E. Main St. as well as having to look at their eyesore concrete buildings that are seagull magnets .
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I will tell you this, people dumping off televisions and refrigerators and car batteries here at our dock is a huge problem. I can sympathize. It’s brutal and it happens all the time.
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Oh and BTW this is absolutely Marine Industrial and what you’re fighting so hard for keeping down the Fort, LOL a freezer.
It’s hilarious that you support some Marine industrial uses but not others.
You know that Marine Industrial Zoning that people are saying is so important to keep all over? Well the industrial complex is about huge ugly industrial buildings and securing them and keeping people out except for the workers.
Which is it?
Which way do you want it?
You want both ends and the middle.
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I really do not know what Americold does . If those freezers are full of fish its was news to me , thank you for clarifying . Its great they are carrying on our marine industrial traditions with healthy business then. My opinion on the Fort is different than you suggest . I , like the harbor plan itself support mixed use . As these marine industrial buildings go out of business , then for sale and have new owners I think it is proper to reevaluate their zoning and “fit ” into the overall harbor plan . Americold seems to be out of the conversation for the biggest of all owner of land on the harbor. I really thought they had nothing to do with “Marine” anymore . I thought they were just a forgotten part of some big multi corporation storing ice and who knows what .
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Basically they manage temperature controlled warehouses around the world. From the Americold website: Americold is the global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most comprehensive warehousing, transportation, and logistics solutions in the world. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates over 182 temperature-controlled warehouses in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Canada. Americold possesses the largest cold storage network with a total capacity of over 1.1 billion cubic feet of storage. Americold’s warehouses are an integral part of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to the end consumer.
Their website address: http://www.americold.com/about_us.html
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thats sad . I believe it . People used to drop off bags of live kittens where I lived near a park in Ca.
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Americold East Gloucester is very busy – half the building is freezer space for local seafood companies, and the other half is rented by National Fish and Seafood, a local seafood company that does very well – in that space they manufacture various frozen seafood items, run a QC lab, etc. They employ many people and are a great company. If Americold owns the property, and they choose to fence it off — it is their property . Respecting private property is something people seem to struggle with, for reasons unknown to me.
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+1
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Respecting private property is good ,if all the zoning laws are obeyed and the legal public rights of way to the water are upheld . Whats wrong with that?
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Garbage dumping and littering appears to be an increasing problem in our community, despite the efforts of many Good Eggs to clean up after others. The One Hour at a Time Game, which meets this Saturday morning at St. Peter’s Square at 8:00 am is a continuing super great concerted effort. What else can be done to prevent the littering and dumping? I would be interested to learn how other communities address this problem.
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For the last few years I’ve been putting my 14′ inflatable in there and scooting around the bend to dock at Beacon for the season. I could then walk around and drive my truck away. I always used and never abused but knew this day would come after seeing the illegal dumping build up. I guess I also need a new place to park at the dentist too. I’ll be there at 5pm tonight and offer to help clean it up. Maybe the clean up effort could coincide with the public works drop off day(s). Perhaps a Video Surveillance sign could be posted (no actual camera, just a scarecrow measure)
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Bagels? are they marine industrial? frozen bagels? I love Lenders Bagels. but are they marine industrial? I have’nt seen a ship tied up at their wharf in years.
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What about a sign? Here’s a little ditty:
This is NOT a DUMPING ground
Hidden cameras can’t be found
Americold will hunt you down
Like a fox chased by a hound.
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