is Worcester really that bad? (manufacturing, parks, historical)

[VlyRoadKid]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Springfield Nightlife is unique. Your post made me laugh a little because I know EXACTLY what you mean. It's actually quite fun (a few hops and barley flavored waters deep), but not for the faint of heart. I do sort of miss nights on Worthington St. now that I'm splitting time between Portland ME and the Southcoast, but not all that much.

Heh-heh! That WAS funny! When I was young--er...I used to frequent a record store near STCC that sold Calypso, Soca and Reggae you couldn't find anywhere else except the Islands. That was a dicey trip--I was often hit on, usually in a casual and joking way, but sometimes I grabbed my precious records and lit out of there!

Though the nightlife in Northampton is not what used to be in the '70's and 80's (so I'm told), I'd rather go there to party or for concerts. Anyway, few places can be as dangerous for a young lady as at one of Holy Cross college's drunken "mixers" (do they still call 'em that?)! Good thing I knew how to throw a punch!

[blehman]

What exactly are they offering to the residents of Worcester? I lived in Worcester and frequented only Shrewsbury for say shopping and Dean park.

Holden I only went to because my SIL lives there, and for NO other purpose.

Grafton I went to the dentist there once.

Sturbridge I hit on the way back to Spfld to visit relatives.

I just don't get how they add to worcester.

The fact is that perhaps they offer nothing in the apparent, but contribute to the overall fabric of the region. The point being that Worcester and the region isn't all inclusive, and in fact needs these other places to create an identity. The apologists will say that isn't true, but having lived in the area twice for a total 15 years, I can't think of Worcester without considering some these other municipalities. Maybe the better question is what does Worcester offer any of these other towns?

[wheelz]

I would look into the Northboro/Marlboro/Hudson area. You would only be about 15-20 minutes away from Worcester and it would eliminate any of your fears about safety.

[anagrig]

I will be relocating from Worcester this summer after living here for 14 years. If I had to start all over, i would definitely pick Shrewsbury or Westborough, which are just more alive and closer to Boston. Holden is a very nice, but also very homogenious town. I alway felt weird at their community pool being almost the only one with black hair and dark eyes (somebody caled me ethnic white!!)Anyways, if you like diversity, go East from Worecster. If you like it pure New England white-choose holden, Princeton, etc.
good luck!

[VlyRoadKid]

I don't see why the college kids don't just hit UMass and Northampton instead. The latter may not be what it was in the heyday of the '80's (lots of New Wave back then!) but my kid is in a band and just played at Pearl Street; it was mobbed, which nowadays, means lots of moshing. Hm...that might be as dangerous as walking at night through Spfld! ;p

[WinterWonder]

I don't think it's that bad. I live a few towns over in North Grafton. I grew up in New Jersey, home of some very bad cities like Newark and Camden.

Worcester has some wonderful restaurants, some great museums and one of the best hospitals in the state - UMass.

And....what about the Forbes rating. Worcester just ranked #9 on America's Most Liveable Cities. That is something to chew on.

[Boston344]

Hey there! I have lived in the close suburb of Shrewsbury all my life, and also had many friends who went to Assumption college so i am familiar with worcester's good, bad, and boring...

Desirable areas to live : salisbury street (residential neighborhoods with green lawns, old colonials priced from 500K+, churches, assumption coll, notre dame academy)

Burncoat street (smaller colonials, older, priced from 200K)

Tatnuck SQ (shops, restaurants, worcester airport-heading to paxton, rutland)

Avoidable places: Parts of chandler street, areas near Clark U (main south), side streets off route 9 near police hq.

It is VERY easy to avoid trouble in worcester and you will easily know where to avoid because your surroundings will change drastically and instantly.

Downtown has some college bars, but nothing upscale same with kelley SQ. Check out Shrewsbury street near the train station...

Some good restaurants: sole proprietor, Via, 111 chop house, bocado, block 5, el basha

Gangs are mainly younger ppl looking for trouble, but there is a large heroin problem within worcester!

[VlyRoadKid]

Boston344 - No intent here to flog a dead horse, but isn't the most desirable community one in which you do not HAVE to avoid any of its places? I guess I just remember the good old days in Worcester, when my cousin and I (both teens) could cruise around the city, no matter the hour, and still stop at that sleazy diner on Water St. to get a sundae. The worst thing we had to worry about was the waitress' very ample derriere, and her inability to squeeze between the rows of booths without knocking off half of your food with it!

There's a very good reason I stayed near Amherst after graduating UMass, and why I lasted a total of 4 yrs. in the Worcester area before scuttling back here!

You know...it's too bad, really; Worc. has some truly nice spots and could have been a first rate city, had they just kept it up. Don't know what went wrong...

[VlyRoadKid]

Originally Posted by WinterWonder

I don't think it's that bad. I live a few towns over in North Grafton. I grew up in New Jersey, home of some very bad cities like Newark and Camden.

...one of the best hospitals in the state - UMass.

And....what about the Forbes rating. Worcester just ranked #9 on America's Most Liveable Cities. That is something to chew on.

Er...uh...you wrote "ONE" (of the best hospitals). Exactly which one? The St. V's We-Won't-Treat-You-'Til-After-Confession one (Yes, I knew a woman with a ruptured ovarian cyst who had to have an entirely unnecessary 2nd op to get sterilized, due to their antiquated religious policies)...or maybe the new, unholy merger of Memorial and UMass Med. Ctr.?? Either way, you might as well check into a Santoria ceremony...or...no, this would be insulting...I was going to say, a Wiccan healing ritual!

Sorry for the bitterness (no, actually, I'm not!)...but my mom just had major surgery at that DUNGEON you call UMass/Memorial (and don't forget...I am a UM/Amherst alumn and proud...but not of that detached chamber of horrors!). I was appalled at the lack of info given to the patients before and after surgery, the casual atmosphere, resembling lunchtime at a construction-site chuckwagon, and the very effective way the surgeon had of answering nothing, looking at us all like we were scum for not having medical degrees...then vanishing faster than a Hobbit chased by Ringwraiths! (She WISHES she was a Hobbit!) UGH!

On top of that, before UM merged with the Unholy, I watched as my dad got the Bum's Rush in the mid-80's after having them screw up THREE diagnoses of a glioblastoma (brain tumor), then later treat him like an annoying bug as he lay there, wasting, freezing! One nurse, when we asked her to turn the heat up, due to his uncontrollable shivering, actually said, and I quote: "It's PLENTY warm enough for us HUMANS!"

My Dad's last words (that I heard anyway) were: "What am I, not human?"

In conclusion: I wouldn't send my dog, my cat or even a salamander to that hell-hole, UMass/Worcester, nor Memorial, nor St.V's! So...what's left? Did I miss a shining example of health care in Worcester? If so, I'd love to hear about it since my post-op Mom is stuck with Fallon and their Crazy Carousel of know-nothing doctors who prescribe anti-depressants to a hypo-thyroid patient!

Trust me: if you EVER need surgery...or even medical care, do yourself a favor and blast right on past Worcester, and the entire Central MA region. Go to MG, or Boston Children's or my personal fave, Deaconess/Beth Israel...but Worcester is no place to have major...nor, I suspect, even minor surgery!

[Missmoose]

Agreed with the lack of quality care at Umass. I have had opportunities to socialize with seen of the professional staff and was truly appalled. HIPAA? Huh? Was that the fat lady I treated for xxx?

Meh.