Providence Street Playground is one of Worcester’s newest parks. It was proposed in 2007 as a ‘friendly gesture’ to residents who live near the Ballard Street landfill when the city’s composting operation was moved from Hope Cemetery to Ballard Street.

It was complete in 2010. Interestingly, paid for not by using the city’s property taxes, but rather money from the city’s sewer enterprise account. While there are usually restrictions on how enterprise account money can be spent, water and sewer upgrades and mitigation are allowed and the playground was considered mitigation.

The playground was estimated to cost about $300,000 but ended up costing closer to $455,000.

After the city council approved the playground plans in 2008, a handful of people questioned the need for a playground there, since there is already a playground across the street at Vernon Hill Park. Providence Street

Playground is located right next to Vernon Hill School and almost directly across from Vernon Hill Park.

While the park is officially termed Providence Street Playground, Glodis field, which is directly behind where the playground is now, was its public space precursor. The soccer field is named after William J. Glodis Jr., the late state representative and city democratic committee member from Worcester.