Nearly a week after heavy flooding in Leominster, Massachusetts, washed away streets, evacuated residents and left commuter rail tracks out of service, the city is making a comeback. But it all comes as the city grapples with another issue — UMass Memorial Health Center plans to close its maternity ward at its Leominster location by the end of the week.
The city's mayor is pushing back on the hospital's decision, saying he had hoped the health care group would consider delaying the action amid the other push for repairs and recovery in the city.
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“When UMass got involved they were supposed to bring services back into Leominster, bring services back into this area and it's been nothing but we’re losing all the time,” Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella spoke with NBC10 Boston shortly after his request for UMass Memorial Health Alliance-Clinton Hospital Leominster Campus to delay the closing of their maternity ward was denied.
The hospital issued a response announcing their decision to move forward with closing the ward on Saturday, Sept. 23. The next closest maternity ward is located in Worcester.
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“We’re hoping that our state delegation and the governor and everyone else will weigh in on it try and help us to get this delayed,” said Mazzarella.
The closure comes as the city tries to recuperate from massive flooding damage after last week's storm. Over at 100 Main Street more than 100 tenants evacuated from the Sunset Towers. Residents went nearly a week without power after six feet of water flooded the basement cutting off their electricity.
“We’re hoping to get everyone back in their apartment tomorrow afternoon after lunch,” said the Executive Director for the North Central Massachusetts Housing Authority Benjamin Gold.
Minutes away the business owners working in the Tillton and Cook Marketplace still haven’t been able to go inside the building after it partially collapsed. The city said they’re working with the owners of the building to decide next steps. Business owners told NBC10 Boston that After the flooding they experienced looting.
“We’re gonna be providing police patrols through the area and working with owner to see if they can supply some security, especially at night.”
Over on Adams Street, homeowners experienced heavy flooding after water from the Monoosnoc Brook overflowed.
"I have been here for 29 years and the water has never come higher than where we're standing right now," said Raymond Bissonnette, who suffered nearly $40,000 in damage including to his two cars and furnace.
Bissonnette lives with his three dogs and has a koi fish pond. He lost some of the fish, but remains hopeful.
"All in all I think I was very fortunate," he said.
Leominister is still on the road to recovery right now the city’s next plan of action is to finish building the road behind Leominister High School in order to reach the houses on Exchange Street. Construction along Pleasant Street also continues after the entire road washed away.
