WORCESTER—Eighteen local projects aimed at preserving Worcester’s character, expanding access to housing, and enhancing public spaces share $4.4 million in funding through the city’s first round of Community Preservation Act (CPA) grants, officials announced.
The awards, totaling $4,388,009, span across three major categories: open space and outdoor recreation, historic resources, and community housing.
The city’s Community Preservation Committee reviewed 28 applications this spring and recommended funding for those that best aligned with the CPA’s goals, using a formal scoring rubric and a preservation plan developed with extensive public input.
The largest grant was awarded to the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Department, which received $1.26 million to kick off major improvements at Roberto Clemente Field in Great Brook Valley. Phase one of the construction includes upgrades to the softball field, new sports lighting, accessible walkways, and improved security.
In the Community Housing category, $1.25 million was awarded to the Worcester Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help develop approximately 30 new affordable rental and homeownership units. The program prioritizes deeply affordable options for households earning 30% to 60% of area median income.
Historic preservation projects were also strongly represented. Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church receives $278,695 for repairs to the exterior brick and slate roof of its historic building. The Worcester Historical Museum was awarded $273,937 to replace its aging HVAC system, a critical upgrade to protect its collections. Veteran’s Inc. is using a $273,025 grant to repair masonry and the roof of the Historic Armory, which serves as transitional housing for veterans and a hub for food distribution and volunteer work.
Other grants in the historic resources category include $200,000 to the Worcester Art Museum for the restoration of archtop windows and building façade improvements; $151,056 to The Wonder Mission to preserve and develop Dr. Robert Goddard’s birthplace into an educational center; and $70,000 to the city clerk’s office to preserve vital records and improve public access to the archive.
The Friends of Hope Cemetery received $49,150 to excavate and restore 17 historic gravestones buried in 1968 and create a brochure highlighting the individuals they commemorate. Mechanics Hall was awarded $45,000 to conserve 21 portraits of notable 19th-century figures, while the American Antiquarian Society will use $25,000 to preserve 100,000 pages of 19th-century jail records. The Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre received $18,000 to begin restoring the front façade of the Cahill House.
Among the Open Space and Recreation grants, Worcester Common Ground was awarded $250,000 to renovate the “Fatty Jenkins Cage” basketball court in the Piedmont neighborhood, adding new surfacing, fencing, lighting, and a roof. Schwartz Baseball Inc. received $82,914 to restore Kendrick Field for youth baseball, and the city was granted $55,009.50 to acquire 7.7 acres of forested land at Brooks Dairy Farm for conservation.
Smith’s Pond Corporation received $53,000 for erosion control and trail access preservation at Cooks Pond Dam, and New Garden Park Inc. was awarded $50,678.52 to create a new trailhead and dedication area at the former Worcester State Hospital site. The Green Hill Park Coalition received a smaller grant of $5,500 to improve access, maintain trails, and support educational elements in the park.
The awards mark the first use of Worcester’s CPA fund, established after city voters approved the measure in November 2022. The fund is financed through a 1.5% property tax surcharge matched by the state, generating more than $4 million annually for local projects.
As outlined in the original CPA announcement this spring, the program was designed to give a broad range of applicants—including nonprofits, individuals, and city departments—the opportunity to pursue community-focused initiatives in housing, recreation, and preservation. “This is a great opportunity for projects related to community housing, recreation, open space, and historic resources to receive funding that may have otherwise not been available,” City Manager Eric D. Batista said in a statement earlier this year.
With this inaugural round of awards, the CPA fund begins delivering on its promise to preserve Worcester’s past, enhance its public spaces, and make the city more livable for future generations.
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