Located just north of I-290 and Brittan Square, this 26 acre park offers a baseball diamond, two ponds and a multipurpose field which mostly hosts football games in the fall and soccer games in the spring.
It has a significantly varying elevation within the park. There is a change in grade of 47 feet within the single park, being the highest point to the north edge, along Davidson road. This area is used as the sledding hill and has great views of the park.
Burncoat Park offers two different ponds for visitors to explore in all seasons. This is a beautiful area for walkers to take in the sights during warmer months.
In 1889, 39.42 acres were purchased from John D. Curtis, Joseph E. Bond, Jane Harris, Alfred Smith and Francis Weatherbee. In 1898 Western Pond was created and in 1901 the Boulder Bridge was built. Western Pond began being used as a skating rink in 1923. Burncoat Playground was added in 1926. In 1930, a hockey rink was built.
In 1962, 8.2 acres were taken by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the construction of the I-290 expressway. An additional amount was offered to the Worcester Public Schools for the construction of Wawecus Elementary School.
View some of the other parks in this district. Get out and explore!
This playground is named after the late Elizabeth "Betty" Price, a woman who led the way for African American women in Worcester. The property consists of two parcels: one initially acquired from Prospect House, Inc. in 1968 and a second parcel acquired by the City in 2000.
City Hall sits on the western end of the Common and is the central hub for downtown Worcester. The Common provides vital open space in the downtown area. The park includes an amphitheater, monuments and memorials and a skating rink in the winter, also known as the Oval in the summer.
Institute Park is a historic park which dates to the late 1800’s. Close to downtown, this park was originally an ordinary farm field and pasture. It was donated by the Honorable Stephen Salisbury III in 1887 as a park to supply a green space for the students and citizens of Worcester.