By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Neponset River Regional Chamber of Commerce (NRRC), together with the Metro South and the United Regional Chambers held a fun Sumer Kickoff Bash on June 15 at the Norwood Space Center’s Outdoor Courtyard at 83 Morse Street in Norwood.
Members and guests mingled in the courtyard, enjoyed delicious food and drinks catered by Little Bird Events, and played cornhole and other yard games. Tom O’Rourke, the NRRC’s President and CEO, presented awards for those who brought in the most new members and picked names for other raffle prizes.
Julie Molloy, the NRRC’s Chair of the Board, said that “the chamber has been rebuilding its membership since the pandemic. In addition to networking, the NRRC offers monthly meetings, a popular golf tournament in the summer, and a great series of talks (fashioned after TED Talks) in the fall.”
Toward the end of the event, tours of the Norwood Space Center were offered. In addition to walking through the expansive showroom of Morva Stone, the eclectic offerings of Salvage Angel, and the hip, other worldly atmosphere of the music venue, The Magic Room, among other businesses, tour participants saw a colossal-sized yet-undeveloped building that will be renovated.
The original factory was originally built in 1776 and was operated by the Bird Company until the 1990s. Originally the mill was used to manufacture coarse wrapping paper, then tarred paper was added, as well as asphalt shingles, felt-based floor covering, and vinyl siding. The large building that is currently empty was used for manufacturing and then drying large sheets of floor. Time will tell what the next use of this building will be.