This page has moved to a new address.

Grand Hustle 101: Providence Street Playground (cont.)

Worcester Is MAJOR!™: Grand Hustle 101: Providence Street Playground (cont.)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Grand Hustle 101: Providence Street Playground (cont.)


Remember when I wrote about the proposed $455k playground that is going to be built on Providence Street to benefit the Vernon Hill School? I wrote about it here, here and here .

Well, the construction has gotten under way and while there are new sidewalks and, generally speaking, there is no way that this playground cost $455,000!

If so, then I know that the playground has been aptly named "Grand Hustle".



I think it's time for Worcester to have it's own version of "The Ultimate Hustler" reality television show and topping the list of participants, in no particular order we would have:

  • Paul P. Clancy, Jr., District 3 City Councilor
  • Robert L. Moylan, Jr., Commissioner, Department of Public Works & Parks
  • Michael V. O'Brien, City Manager
  • Konstantina B. Lukes, Councilor-at-Large
  • Melinda J. Boone, Superintendent, Worcester Public Schools
  • Mauro DePasquale, Executive Director, WCCA TV13
I don't watch reality television shows, but rest assured that I'd be sure to tune in or set the DVR to record that bad boy! It would be straight comedy and great entertainment.



Maybe we can convince Andrea Ajemian and Kaz Gamble of "Worcester Love" and "We Got the Beat" to direct and film the show, and have Mike Benedetti of "508" be the host? But only if we can have Brendan Melican be the Trump-like boss that kicks people off the show or has the group complete an task such as carrying two fifty-pound weights, one in each hand, up and down George Street until there's only one person standing.

Hmmmmmmmmm.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

posted by Dee Wells at 10:56 AM

5 Comments:

Blogger Brendan Melican said...

I'm in.

That can not possibly be a half million dollar playground.

May 12, 2010 at 2:59 PM  
Blogger Nicole said...

Dee -- where'd you get that figure?

May 12, 2010 at 4:38 PM  
Blogger Dee Wells said...

The figure went from $365k to over $400k in December of 2008, when Clancy and Moylan moved a "tabled item" off the docket and passed prior to Christmas. Smooth criminals, huh?

The reason for the increase was explained with the caveat being that the sidewalks on Providence Street would need to be fixed on both sides of the street nearest the playground.

Now, having attended the initial meeting on 02/27/2008, where it was stated that money from the expanded Millbury Street Compost Site, which I do live near to, would be used to build a playground, I exclaimed, "Why build a playground?"

I wrote the following on 02/28/2008:


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?

May 12, 2010 at 7:40 PM  
Blogger Sean Dacey said...

Excellent post, Dee! I imagine the T&G will write a story about this sometime in September.

May 12, 2010 at 11:00 PM  
Blogger Tracy Novick said...

I keep being told there are two playgrounds? One for younger kids and one for older?

May 13, 2010 at 10:25 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home