2008 Year End Wrap Up, Part 3
OK, last piece on the 2008 year end wrap up.
My husband asked me an interesting question about Worcester the other day. “If you were to magically stop the founding of Worcester way back in 1713, then lifted that spell in 2009, what would develop here?”
So I pondered. We have no major (or even minor) port. Several major highways pass by and through the city, but would they if Worcester wasn’t here until 2009? Would our colleges be better off if they were located closer to Rt 495 or maybe even Rt 128? The Central Mass region is in need of resources to serve the more rural communities, so UMass might crop up here. Then again, it might be better off located further south, say lower Grafton, at the intersection of the Blackstone and Quinsigamond Rivers. But is the river deep enough to support any kind of serious transportation? Maybe Worcester should be further north, say in the Clinton area?
But I digress. Back to today and our year end wrap up.
Most Original Thinker
Definitely Roberta Schaefer and the crew at Worcester Regional Research Bureau. They are beholdin’ to no one, not politicians or unions. So the research they produce on the health of the city is unbiased and often eye-opening.
Enough Already
Here I have to briefly complain about what appears to be the near constant moving of polling locations. I a Warden at one of the sites in Worcester. This last election, we had a lot of people wander in because we were the closest place to vote. Many were major annoyed to find out that we were not their polling location. Have voting locations become victims of the ridiculous politics of redistricting? Sheesh, enough already. Find a location and stick with it.
Btw, the move of Ward 5-4 to the Super Stop and Shop was a disaster. The room was way too small, the stairs were a pain. The only up side was that the in-store Dunkin Donuts did bang up business on election day!
Best News for Worcester
Here I’m going to go with Biotech Park. Kudos to WPI for putting in a major effort to develop a downtrodden section of the city. And kudos to the City Council for not messing this up! I’ve worked with Kevin O’Sullivan of MBI and he has done yeoman’s work cultivating biotech entrepreneurs and moving them along the road to success.
Future of Worcester Airport
None, at least not as an airport. Let’s get the College Consortium to use the space for training facilities or an executive retreat for local businesses.
Best Person to Watch
Here I’m going to go with Ted Coughlin. I first met him years ago on a project with Jack Healy and the Manufacturing Advancement Center, MassMEP. Ted is an inspirational guy, always looking for ways to better the community. His role in getting the new Worcester Voke School funded and well-stocked with cool manufacturing equipment is just one example of his ability to make useful things happen.