'Worcester Now, Next' Project: Locals Can Help Plan City's Future

WORCESTER, MA — If you've ever had an idea for a change Worcester should make — be it a new park, or a layout for a neighborhood — you should take notice of Worcester Now | Next, the new master planning initiative that began earlier this year.

The project really kicked into gear this week with the hiring of Worcester Human Rights Commission Chair Guillermo Creamer as the Now | Next community organizer. Over the next few months, Creamer will be in charge of attracting interest in the master planning process. That will include asking Worcester residents to contribute ideas to the master plan through community outreach.

"The hope is that we really connect with residents throughout the city to garner ideas about what we want the next decade to look like for Worcester," he said.

To participate, residents can start by filling out a survey on the city's website. Just about 800 people had completed the survey as of this week, but Creamer's goal is to get at least 1 percent of city residents (about 2,000 people) to respond. In the coming months, Creamer will partner with nonprofits and community organizations to host public meetings where residents can provide ideas for the master planning process.

The whole Now | Next master planning update will take place over about 18 months. The plan will attempt to map the future of items like public transportation, housing, street infrastructure and land use.

Worcester hasn't mounted a long range planning effort like Now | Next since 1987, although the city has published other smaller plans on more specific topics like climate change, improving public health and culture. The master plan aims to weave all of those topics into a larger guiding document.

"Worcester Now | Next will build on past successes, connect current existing planning initiatives, and integrate a present-day vision from the community into a comprehensive framework to guide growth and change in the City for the next 30 years," said the urban planning firm Utile, which is running the master planning process.

But the master plan needs the input of residents to be successful, Creamer said. Residents in neighborhoods from across Worcester should watch for upcoming Now | Next events beginning in June.

"This only works if we're connecting with residents of all walks of life in this city," he said.

If you have questions about Now | Next, contact Creamer via email at nownext@utiledesign.com.