General Worcester Discussion

Dropping this here. Community garden project in Green Hill Park:

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I've spent very little time in Worcester but took the train in today for a conference at the DCU center. Didn't help or course that it was grey and chilly, but very poor pedestrian experience between the station and DCU. Big intersections, absolutely no activation of the street, a bunch of parking garages. Am I being too critical? It feels like a corridor that should have more life.
 
KCasiglio said:
I've spent very little time in Worcester but took the train in today for a conference at the DCU center. Didn't help or course that it was grey and chilly, but very poor pedestrian experience between the station and DCU. Big intersections, absolutely no activation of the street, a bunch of parking garages. Am I being too critical? It feels like a corridor that should have more life.
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No, you're not being too critical. The rotary in front of Union Station sucks, and the walk to DCU is lifeless. Kelley Square and downtown have seriously improved since I moved away in 2018, but the corridor you walked is still gray and automobile-oriented.
 
KCasiglio said:
I've spent very little time in Worcester but took the train in today for a conference at the DCU center. Didn't help or course that it was grey and chilly, but very poor pedestrian experience between the station and DCU. Big intersections, absolutely no activation of the street, a bunch of parking garages. Am I being too critical? It feels like a corridor that should have more life.
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Yeah, the pedestrian experience around Union Station is abysmal. It's geographically close to some pretty solid retail/dining/commercial areas (e.g. Shrewsbury St, Canal District, Downtown), but the walks to any of them are a combination of indirect, unpleasant, boring, and/or unsafe. The presence of the elevated highway does not help things.
 
KCasiglio said:
I've spent very little time in Worcester but took the train in today for a conference at the DCU center. Didn't help or course that it was grey and chilly, but very poor pedestrian experience between the station and DCU. Big intersections, absolutely no activation of the street, a bunch of parking garages. Am I being too critical? It feels like a corridor that should have more life.
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No, you're spot on
 
#bancars said:
Yeah, the pedestrian experience around Union Station is abysmal. It's geographically close to some pretty solid retail/dining/commercial areas (e.g. Shrewsbury St, Canal District, Downtown), but the walks to any of them are a combination of indirect, unpleasant, boring, and/or unsafe. The presence of the elevated highway does not help things.
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I think they should put a park under the highway between grafton and shrewsbury like the bentway in Canada
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I think exactly the same each time I pass by there. Including that little area on the Washington Square rotary which now just collects trash on its chain-linked fence.
 
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www.nbcboston.com

Worcester grocery store closings lead to debate of city-run supermarket

City Councilor Jenny Pacillo initially proposed a grocery store operated by Worcester, but amended her proposal to call for some form of city involvement in a vote that passed 8-2.
www.nbcboston.com www.nbcboston.com
A quick count shows 14 dedicated grocery stores in Worcester, but since the start of 2025, two stores have closed completely.
That trend has city councilors like Jenny Pacillo jumping into action.
"We've been trying to think of ways to fill that gap, and this was another way to try and push something forward," said Pacillo.
She initially proposed a grocery store operated by the city.
"Could we do a public/private partnership grocery store? A co-op? Really, just anything to get affordable, nutritious food to residents' homes," she said.
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www.telegram.com

Worcester gets another shot with a bike-share program. This time it's electric bikes

Docking station on Foster Street filled with e-bikes.
www.telegram.com
The last time Worcester had a bike-sharing program it was a dockless system of pedal-only bikes that was mired with problems. The Chinese company Ofo that owned the bikes pulled out of the city in 2018 after complaints of broken bikes and other issues. Under that system, when riders were finished with their trips they left the Ofo bikes parked at their destination, available for the next user.

When asked why the new bikes will work in Worcester when the Ofo bikes didn't, City Manager Eric Batista pointed out the differences between the two programs: one is dockless, the other isn't. He also said the city Department of Transportation and Mobility that is focused on providing safe and efficient transportation options wasn't around during the Ofo days.

Another reason that the Metro Mobility bikes will work, said Batista, is Worcester has a more robust bike network, with more than 10 miles added in the past 18 months.
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If one were new to the Worcester area and surrounding vicinity and working in Marlborough, where would those with knowledge of the area consider suggesting for rental properties?
 
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