In today’s daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.
These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding what’s going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.
In today’s edition – Thursday, October 21 – new parking options with tailgating for Holy Cross football at Polar Park on Saturday, the Sterling police and fire departments team up to raise money for men’s health this November, the National Park Service issues a $750,000 grant to the City of Worcester, EcoTarium announces two new exhibits and extended hours, and a new promotional video by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Worcester Business Development Corporation.
New Parking Options For Holy Cross Game on Saturday at Polar Park
This Saturday, October 23, Holy Cross hosts Colgate for the first ever football game at Polar Park, with kickoff at 5 PM.
Two new parking options are available for attendees on Saturday with tailgating options. See the tailgating policies here.
Tailgating spaces are available for purchase across from Polar Park, south of Madison St., just off of Green Island Blvd. The lot will open four hours prior to kickoff and remain open for one hour following the game. The passes are $30 per vehicle (plus applicable fees) and are available on a first come, first served basis, with only 100 tailgating spots available.
The new City garage on Green Island Boulevard will also make its debut, directly across from Polar Park. Passes are $20 (plus applicable fees) and are also available on a first come, first served basis.
Purchase parking for either of these options here. See information about other parking options.
Sterling Police and Fire Team Up for Men’s Health in November
The Sterling Fire Department and Police Department are teaming up this November for ‘Movember.”
The Movember Foundation prioritizes “funding for the three biggest health issues facing men: mental health & suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.”
Both Sterling Firefighter/Paramedic Phil d’Entremont and Detective David Johnson are battling cancer, making this year’s fundraising especially important t both departments.
Support the Sterling fundraiser by purchasing a special edition t-shirt.
Worcester Awarded a $750,000 National Park Service Grant
The National Park Service issued a grant for $750,000 to the City of Worcester for a project that will renovate the Coal Mine Brook conservation area at the end of the East-West trail network.
The renovations of Coal Mine Brook funded by the grant include:
- Construction of new, fully-accessible walkways and trails, including overlooks of Coal Mine Brook.
- Educational/environmental/wildlife kiosks at the overlooks.
- Accessible parking areas.
- Benches with available companion seating.
- Improved vistas of Lake Quinsigamond.
- Picnic areas, pedestrian lighting, perimeter wooden guardrails and fencing.
- Tee trimming and tree plantings.
- A playground and adult fitness area.
City officials expect construction of the project to start in the spring of 2022.
EcoTarium Announces New Hours and Two New Exhibits
The EcoTarium, at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester, announced on Wednesday, October 20, new, extended opening hours and the opening of two new indoor exhibits Community Curator: Local is the New Global and Project Vaccine: Our Best Defense.
The museum also announced extended opening hours. The EcoTarium is now open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Community Curators: Local is the New Global features rarely seen items from the EcoTarium’s natural history collection connected to the impact of climate change.
The exhibit features four unique guest community curators from Worcester and a community popular vote: The Acito family, Tracy, Elysia, and Sofia, Citizen Scientists, Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Sang Bobbitt Hanna, Marine Biologist, and Mike Halperson, Interim President and CEO of the EcoTarium. They chose an item from the collection that speaks to them in a meaningful way and tells a unique story about climate change.
Project Vaccine: Our Best Defense is an innovative and interactive exhibition explores the long-standing evidence behind how vaccines work and celebrates the untold number of professionals involved in the vaccination process, from research and development to distribution, to administering vaccines.
Presented in English and Spanish, this exhibit engages museum-goers with interactive activities and asks questions informed by science and influenced by visitors’ personal values.
New Worcester Promotional Video Released by Worcester Chamber and WBDC
The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce [Chamber] and the Worcester Business Development Corporation [WBDC] released a new economic development and recruitment video on Wednesday, October 20.
The two-minute video, is an updated version of the Chamber’s original A City Redefined video created in 2016.
The video will be used as a recruitment tool, shown to potential developers and investors, site selectors, and companies considering a move or expansion to the area.
