Friends of Newton Hill
Since 2001, the Friends of Newton Hill have restored, maintained, and revitalized the 41-acre section of Elm Park, adding a number of new park amenities and helped to make the park a safe, welcoming, and engaging place for all visitors.
Our Mission
The Friends of Newton Hill was formed to promote the restoration, maintenance, and use of the Newton Hill section of Elm Park. The group is dedicated to maintaining the park’s natural beauty, its trails and paths.
Worcester is one of those lucky places to have so much beautiful open space, and my family is fortunate to live near Newton Hill, one of the best.
Accomplishments
- 2002-Present – Annual Earth Day Cleanup
- 2002-Present – Central Mass Striders Newton Hill 5k Cross Country Series
- 2003-Present – Newton Square Summer Concert Series
- 2005 – Commissioned the Newton Hill Masterplan
- 2005 – Established the Neighborhood Watch
- 2005 – First City of Worcester Park Stewards Summer Jobs Program location (previously Youth Summer Work Program)
- 2009 – Installation of 18-hole disc golf course
- 2014 – Planted the Edward Winslow Lincoln Memorial Grove, 15 fruit trees around the hill’s summit
- 2015 – Installation of a 12-station fitness circuit
- 2017 – Installation of the Paul V. Mullaney Memorial Flagpole and granite benches at summit
- 2018 – Installation of flower beds at the summit flagpole, the park sign on Pleasant St, and in the Newton Square Rotary
- 2018 – Expanded the open area at the summit with help of Working for Worcester grant and volunteers
- 2018 – Awarded DCR MassTrails Grant to create the Nordic Ski Park
- 2019 – Construction of Newton Hill maintenance building on Pleasant Street
- 2019 – Co-hosted the 2019 US Master Disc Golf Championship
- 2020 – Installed second set of disc golf baskets, expanding disc golf course
Latest News
2nd Newton Square Park Ash Tree Grant Awarded!
April 2025 – Park Spirit of Worcester through the Friends of Newton Hill have been awarded a grant of $5,400 by Nathaniel Wheeler Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee in support of the Newton Hill Park Ash Tree Initiative founded...
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Newton Square Park Ash Tree Grant Awarded!
In December, 2024 Park Spirit of Worcester through the Friends of Newton Hill was awarded a grant of $510.00 from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation Tree Fund (David Coyne/Margot Barnet) for the Newton Square Ash Tree Infestation.
Read MoreUpcoming Events
Projects
An 36-hole, double-basket course in heart of Worcester
The Newton Hill Disc Golf Course was created in 2009 through the volunteer efforts of FNH and local disc golf enthusiasts.
The course is free and open to the public.
Please do not litter and carry out your trash whenever possible. Limited trash cans along the course are emptied and maintained by volunteers who don’t especially love to clean up your beer cans and cigarette butts : )
Leave No Trace!
…However, the course is entirely maintained and upkept by volunteers. Any donation to the Newton Hill Disc Golf Course will help ensure its upkeep and continued availability to the public:
Links to NHDG pages on popular disc golf sites:
PDGA | DGcoursereview | UDisc
Hon. Paul V. Mullaney Flagpole Dedication Ceremony at Newton Hill at Elm Park
The Friends of Newton Hill at Elm Park invite you to join FNH officers and members, city and elected officials, Doherty Memorial High School and Midland Street School administration and students, community members, and family members of the late Hon. Paul V. Mullaney for a dedication ceremony for the new flagpole at the summit of Newton Hill.
Who
The Friends of Newton Hill at Elm Park, City Manager Edward Augustus Jr., Father Trainor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, members of the Marine Corps., Family members of the Hon. Paul V. Mullaney, Doherty Memorial High School administration, teachers, and Envirothon members, and Midland Street School administration, teachers, and students.
What
Hold a dedication ceremony of the new flagpole installed at the summit of Newton Hill in 2017 to honor the life and civic contributions of Hon. Paul V. Mullaney.
When
Flag Day, June 14th, 2018 at 11AM
Where
The summit of Newton Hill at Elm Park. Parking is available in the Doherty Memorial High School Parking lot and the summit is accessible via a short walk.
Why
Mullaney was born in Worcester, served our country with the Marine Corps in Korea, earning three Purple Hearts, went on to serve as city councilor, mayor, and District Court Judge. He raised his family at the foot of Newton Hill and his family has shown enormous commitment to the revitalization efforts at the park.
Opened the Summit
We worked with Working 4 Worcester to open up the summit around the Summit Road and the East-West Trail facing Park Ave. This is a long term project, in the hopes of enhancing the city views and opening up the summit to create a more welcoming space.
12-Station Fitness Circuit
In 2016, we installed a 12-station fitness circuit following a grant from the Fuller Foundation. The stations were installed with the help of students from both Assumption College and WPI and are located around the Hill to promote circulation around the park and healthy recreation.
Annual Newton Square Summer Concert Series
We bring live, local music back to the square every summer! It’s our pleasure to bring you our summer series of concerts at Newton Square, with music playing directly behind the Newton Square World War II Memorial.
We will be selling drinks, and ice cream.
All concerts start at 6:30 and go until roughly 8 PM. Parking is available along Pleasant Street and on the residential streets around Newton Square.
Restroom facilities will be available in the Newton Hill at Elm Park storage building!
Don’t forget a little cash for cold drinks, ice cream and a chair or blanket!
Join Us / Renew
A group of community volunteers linked by our love of Newton Hill and a commitment to the restoration, maintenance, and recreational use of the Newton Hill section of Elm Park.
The Friends of Newton Hill is a neighborhood group made up of park users and volunteers who are members of FNH. The group is administered by an advisory board, with meetings that are open to the public.
We’ve been meeting regularly as a group since 2001
We welcome you to join us for a meeting to discuss upcoming events, projects and initiatives, and things happening on the hill.
All of our meetings are free and open to the public. Anyone is welcome to join us and provide input. Voting is restricted to FNH advisory board members and members.
Donate
The Friends of Newton Hill is a partner of Park Spirit of Worcester, Inc. Your contribution will go entirely to supporting their independent focus.
Advisory Board Officers
Members
- Phil Bolduc – MD, Family Health Center of Worcester
- John Goins – Industrial Hygenist, US Department of Labor -OSHA
- Stacey Hill – Science teacher, Doherty Memorial High School
- Conor McCormack – Assistant Town Planner, Town of Millbury
- Kevin McCormack – Sales, NTT Data Americas
- Rick Miller – Past Program Coordinator – Park Stewards Summer Work Program
- Andy Serrato – Owner, Serrato Signs
- Luke Roberts – Principal, May Street School