Worcester Community Preservation Committee holds public hearings on 13 CPA project applications

Worcester's Community Preservation Committee on June 10 opened public hearings on 13 project applications seeking Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, hearing presentations from city staff and nonprofit and faith-based applicants on proposals ranging from park construction to historic‑building preservation.

The hearings are part of the committee's inaugural year of public hearings under the city's new CPA process; members will score applications after the second hearing on June 12 and vote on a recommended slate at a June meeting before the City Council considers final allocations.

Projects highlighted the meeting included: the city of Worcester's Great Brook Valley Park Phase 1 improvements (CPA ask $1,250,044) to add a softball field, sports lighting, accessible walkways, stormwater bioretention and site security; the Worcester Art Museum's request to replicate three historic arch‑top windows (CPA ask $200,000) tied to its Arms and Armor gallery work; a request from the Museum of Worcester to replace a 40‑year‑old HVAC system to protect collections (CPA ask $273,937); major building repair requests from historic churches including Pilgrim Congregational Church (CPA ask $764,564.01) and Belmont AME Zion Church (CPA ask $750,000); and a range of smaller and mid‑sized historic‑resources and open‑space proposals such as restoration of gravestones at Hope Cemetery (Friends of Hope Cemetery, CPA ask $49,150) and preservation and digitization of 19th‑century jail records (American Antiquarian Society, CPA ask $25,000).

Rob Antonelli, assistant commissioner for the Department of Public Works, Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Division, described the Great Brook Valley project as a multi‑phase effort and said the CPA request is a portion of a larger, roughly $4 million project. Antonelli told the committee the city has secured a $1 million Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and is scheduling bidding, with construction for the first phase expected to start later this summer and be complete by June 2026.

Other presentations and applicant details included: - The Wonder Mission Incorporated requested $151,056 to restore the Robert and Esther Goddard House and develop it as an interactive learning site; founder Charles Slatkin said contractors have signaled they can meet a centennial‑related timeline if funding is available. - Pilgrim Congregational Church pastor (introduced as Pastor Vic) requested funds to repair 1898 stained‑glass windows and replace knob‑and‑tube wiring; the applicant said a $100,000 emergency roof grant from the Massachusetts Historic Commission will address immediate leaks and that a contractor is scheduled in July for roof work. - Reverend Clyde E. Talley of Belmont AME Zion described a request for $750,000 to repair a historic slate roof and interior water damage; he emphasized the fellowship hall is used as a major food‑distribution hub and community resource and said roof repairs are the committee's top priority to allow continued operations. - The American Antiquarian Society explained a $25,000 request to process, preserve and selectively digitize roughly 100,000 items of 19th‑century Worcester jail records recently transferred by the Worcester County Sheriff's Office; Ashley Cataldo, curator of manuscripts, said materials will be accessible on site and selected items online when digitized. - The Friends of Hope Cemetery outlined a $49,150 request to excavate and restore some historic headstones reinterred in 1968 and to publish a brochure and marker explaining findings. - New Garden Park (applicant: New Garden Park / Worcester Business Development Corporation) asked approximately $150,531.70 to create a Dr. Dorista Goldsberry dedication area and East Side Trail connection using reclaimed granite from a demolished hospital building. - The Worcester Art Museum said new windows will allow the museum to maintain precise environmental controls needed for the Higgins collection and that CPA support would trigger matching private gifts; project manager Seth Wiseman described the work as replicating the historic configuration in a modern assembly. - The Museum of Worcester requested $273,937 for a new HVAC system to stabilize temperature and humidity for collections that include artifacts dating back centuries. - Preservation Worcester described a $40,200 adjusted CPA ask from Salisbury House for interior shutter restoration after ineligible maintenance items were removed from the original budget. - Kendrick Baseball/Schwartz Little League requested $82,913.99 to revitalize a 60x90‑foot baseball diamond and surrounding fencing, access and training amenities.

No committee funding decisions were made at the June 10 hearing. The committee chair, William Eddy, and staff member Jacqueline Burmeister said the CPC will complete scoring after a second hearing scheduled for June 12 (some hearings will be at City Hall) and will bring a recommended slate to a committee vote at a subsequent meeting; final funding requires City Council approval and successful grant agreements with recipients.

The meeting concluded with a formal motion to adjourn from committee member K. Frank Callahan, which the committee approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: CPA funds are intended to support open‑space, historic preservation and community housing projects with local revenue. Decisions this round will affect park infrastructure, museum and archive preservation, historic‑building maintenance, and nonprofits and faith‑based providers that operate community programs such as food distribution and youth sports.

What to watch next: the committee's scoring and recommendations after the June 12 hearings, and the City Council review of any CPC recommendations. Applicants whose projects were not recommended in this round may reapply in the fall, city staff said.