Grand Hustle 101: Playground

On Wednesday, February 27th, I attended a meeting at Vernon Hill School to discuss the proposed playground that has been slated to be built at Glodis Field on Providence Street.

What I experienced and witnessed first-hand was the grandest of all "grand hustles" put on by District 3 Councilor, Paul Clancy, Jr., and mouthed by Assistant Commissioner of Parks, Robert Antonelli, Jr.

While this meeting was supposed to be "open to the public" it was very obvious that such was not the case as the meeting was "stacked" with supporters in favor of the playground, particularly by teachers of Vernon Hill School.

The playground was proposed as a, "gesture to show the city's gratitude" to the residents affected by the expanded Ballard Street compost site. Neighborhoods such as those in the areas of Gibbs Street, Granite Street, Dane Avenue and Svenson Avenue, to name a few, are affected whenever the compost site emits odor.

While there was an opportunity to ask questions of both Clancy and Antonelli, it became glaringly obvious that this meeting was only being held for face value and that the playground was going to be built either way.

Knowing the current economic condition of the United States and, more specifically Worcester, it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend $365,000 on a playground for an area that has two other playgrounds in the general vicinity. While budgets continue to be cut and City employees are continually being asked to "do more with less", how can we, with good conscience, spend $365k on a playground?

As if this astonishing figure were not enough, Mr. Antonelli, Jr. reported that, through a grant of $455,000, Vernon Hill playground was going to be renovated beginning in July 2008. So, suffice it to say that not only is the $365k being "borrowed against the sewer account," we were now told that the area is going to receive close to $1 million in playground renovations! Again, does this make sense?

Hearing the principal of Vernon Hill School, Ms. Joanna Bowolick, speak about the playground, one would think that she, too, drank from the same contaminated water cooler as Councilor Clancy and Councilor-at-large Joseph Petty. Ms. Bowolick did her best to explain that she is for the playground by saying that she encourages children to go outside and play and that the current black top area is unsafe due to it being uneven and that the basketball hoops that were installed have been vandalized by local teens. Who's to say that this won't happen with the proposed playground?

We all certainly hope that Worcester Police Department will be able to patrol the area and keep the riff raff out, but there is no way to monitor the area 24-hours a day.

Yes, the PTO from Vernon Hill School deserves a round of applause for applying for and being awarded $5,000 as grant money through the Lowe's Toolbox for Education through the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, but should neighbors and families that don't live near the school have to pay for a playground when there are so many other schools that deserve a playground as well? It's simply all about what Vernon Hill School wants and leave all others to the wayside, right?

It's no longer all about the Benjamins, it's about what is right for our children and Ms. Bowolick and others are quick to play the child-card, because as we know, how can we deny little Timmy or Jane the right to play outside? Well, I know that I have to tell my child "No" often and she's not going to suffer any pain by hearing such a simple and yet powerful word.

So, suffice it to say that the playground received 18 votes in favor and 8 against it and I'm proud to say that I was one of those that voted against it, because I know we have to say "No" more frequently to reckless city spending.