Growing Places opens North Central Mass local food center at Waterford Street School in Gardner City

State Representative John Zlotnick and Gardner City Mayor Mike Nicholson joined Growing Places staff and regional partners at a ribbon-cutting ceremony announcing that the nonprofit's local food center at the former Waterford Street School is fully built out and operational.

"The processing center for Growing Places is fully built out and fully operational and we're so proud to be here celebrating another milestone," State Representative John Zlotnick said, describing the project as a multi-year effort that began with an earlier announcement about repurposing the school and a city lease signed last year.

The center is the result of roughly $2,300,000 in regional investment, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts said at the event. "This regional food center is the beating heart of a $2,300,000 investment made by the Community Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in an ambitious effort to make a lasting impact on the food system in our region," Steve Abrams, of the Community…