Worcester signage project receives $3M
A project designed to make it easier to travel around Worcester and promote the city is getting a $3-million funding boost from the city and state governments.
The funding, which is being announced Monday afternoon at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, will help officials with the project, called the Worcester Wayfinding Initiative, in the creation of a grid-like system that will make it easier to navigate Worcester's neighborhoods. The project, which will take two years to complete, also calls for getting rid of most existing signage, according to a statement from the city.
The state is contributing $2 million with the city adding $1 million, the statement said. The initiative, launched in 2006, calls for 275 signage elements and will have 24 components promoting public arts.
The system “is essential for growth, particularly in the area of cultural tourism and economic development," City Manager Edward Augustus said in the statement. "With the breadth and caliber of cultural organizations within the city, and the related hundreds of creative events and activities presented to the public, this system will greatly enhance the experience of visiting Worcester for the over 2.7 million visitors we draw annually."
Public art is an integral part of the new system, the statement said, adding that planners identified key art forms that offer residents and visitors “a sense of place through a strong and ubiquitous public art component.”
The project will be the first of its kind in Massachusetts, according to city officials, and could serve as a model for other communities.
Designed by Selbert Perkins Design of Boston and Los Angeles, and constructed by Design Communications LTD of Boston, prototypes include three elements: a district identifier, vehicle directions and a pedestrian kiosk, the statement said. Prototypes featuring work by Worcester artist Susan Champeny were installed near City Hall and The Hanover Theatre in the 2007.
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