"Massachusetts It's all here" even at Manchaug Pond!

Have you ever thought of Manchaug Pond's economic contribution to the area?!



Massachusetts' tourism website for the central part of the state highlights Lake Manchaug in it's boasting opening paragraph!

See for yourself:
Hit the slopes at Wachusett Mountain. Take in the Worcester Sharks, AHL affiliates of the San Jose Sharks. Hang out with Mother Nature at Lake Manchaug and go camping, fishing or boating. Spend the day hiking or snowshoeing, amongst the trees at Otter River State Forest or Wells State Park. Or, kayak along the Blackstone River and know what it really means to "get your adrenaline pumping." With a wide range of forests, ponds and trails easily accessible, Central Massachusetts is home to all of the things you love to do — indoors and out.

here's the link: http://www.massvacation.com/centralMass/outdoor-activities.php

Now check out the $$$ economic contribution in dollar$ that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sees as the Value to the Nation of Oxford's Hodges Village natural resource area on the French River for 2006 at this link:

http://www.vtn.iwr.usace.army.mil/recreation/reports/lake.asp?ID=184


"107,012 visits per year resulted in:

* $1.94 million in visitor spending within 30 miles of the Corps lake.
* 63%of the spending was captured by local economy as direct sales effects.

With multiplier effects, visitor trip spending resulted in:

* $2.10million in total sales.
* $1.15 million in value added (wages & salaries, payroll benefits, profits and rents and indirect business taxes).
* Supported 27 jobs in the local community surrounding the lake."

If we did the math for Manchaug Pond, our numbers would be higher than Hodges as we have more overnight campgrounds and sites with the 4 campgrounds, camp stores.... Trails? Yes, we too have the Mid-State Trail in our watershed. Boat Ramp? Yes, we also have one. We also have day swimmers at the campgrounds and we have day campers at the YMCA facility not to mention the activities at living history museum of Waters Farm.

Interesting isn't it! I happened to speak to a retired couple yesterday who have been at the same campground on Manchaug for 30 years. They were asking about the low waterlevel as they had not seen it like this in all their years! Campers love our lake - do a search and find how many times it is mentioned in blogs! And they will tell you they are regular patrons at Tony's Pizza and other neighboring resturants and coffee shops, they attend our churches, our library, buy food from our stores... How about those fisherman who love Manchaug! They must stop for a coffee on the way in or out...more economic contribution.... hmmm.