Canal District

By Rosalie Tirella

Last issue of Worcester Mag (the “new” Worcester Magazine) had the paper’s newest reporter Jeremy Shulkin (they stay about a year at Worcester Mag these days) crowing about his job! Yes, said Jeremy “Skulk-in” (that’s what I call the dweeb) in his op/ed piece, it was great to be “in the club”! In fact, the header of Skulkin’s piece was called: “In The Club.” And so an insensitive, entitled, not very talented writer crowed about how it was great to be “connected” in Wormtown.

In his column, Shulkin bragged that at Worcester Mag’s Water Street office he had a desk with a view - that from it (with his feet propped up, no doubt!), he could look down upon Water Street and environs - the blossoming Canal District. Up high above, from his second or third floor perch, Jeremy could survey the little people of Worcester … his domain! Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

What a dreadful cold spell. What an unlovely sight Wormtown is at tail’s end of winter. What better time - or so I thought, this afternoon - to treat myself to some real comfort food - a cheese omlette, bulkie roll and home fries at my favorite local hang out.

So there I am, on Water Street looking out the restaurant window, hunkering down, trying to avoid all the crap I have to contend with: the dog has cancer, the bills are paid but need more paying, mom has early dementia, guy pal will never get his shit together. Talking with another small biz owner earlier - we both pined for a vacation in sunnier climes. “I haven’t had a vacation in eight years!” he said. All this was weighing down on me … Would spring-time ever return, I wondered, and I looked out the restaurant window and saw ALLEN FLETCHER at the exact opposite side of the street.

He saw me. I saw him. I blanched. He - wearing his ridiculous black beret - gave me a big salute - the kind of salute Adolph Hitler gave his men before … gassing them.

I made a horrible face at him - and immediately lost my appetite.

My old neighborhood, my stomping grounds used to be hallowed ground, for me. Now it’s the Canal Distgrict (or shall we say Cabal District). Now, instead of a cool Jewish ghetto where (in the early part of the 20th century) hawkers lined the Water Street to sell fruits, vegetables, live (!) chickens and other necessities, we have Allen Fletcher in a black beret. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

I spent the first 19 years of my life in Green Island. My mother grew up in Green Island - a great gal in a great Polish neighborhood - and spent 65 years there! I know/knew the neighborhood like the back of my hand and I love it like no other Worcester ‘hood. Jim Lukes, City Councilor Konnie Lukes’ hubby, grew up in the area, too. His dad had a diner on Millbury Street and the family still owns property in Green Island. District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller represents the neighborhood. And none us - not a person! - can make our way into Allen Fletcher’s secret “Canal District” (the yuppie monikor for Green Island) Taskforce meetings.

That’s right! Since Fletcher bought the old Ash Street school off Green Street several years ago, he has decided that he will remake the district in his own bony-ass image - or to his, and his supporters’, liking. Anyone with a different point of view, anyone with any sort of question, even folks with longstanding ties to the Green Island neighborhood like me or Jim Lukes, are not invited to play in Fletcher’s reinder games. We don’t even know when and where the meetings are!! (somewhere in Green Island, I’m guessing!) Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

The boyfriend and I decided to go to Blow Mag’s (Worcester Mag’s) Turtle Boy event last night in the Canal District (fancy pants talk for Green Island). We went a few years ago and stayed ’til the end because, while there weren’t tons of people (for all the full-page Worcester Magazine ads/hype Worcester Magazine gave their event), there were enough folks at that Turtle Boy to make the night feel like a true night out - a true event.

This time around - last night’s Turtle Boy? A total bust. Deadsville. Nowhere land. As of 8 p.m., there seemed to be about 30 people doing the Turtle Boy! A handfull of folks! So depressing! So disheartening! We’d look into the clubs and bars where the bands/musicians were playing and we’d see TWO people at the bar or 14 people at tables listening to the tunes. Music/bands that were hyped and hyped and hyped in full-page, color ads (a cover story, too!) in recent issues of Worcester Magazine. We couldn’t believe our eyes! Click to continue »