WORCESTER — Votes taken Monday by the conservation commission will essentially allow planned improvements in Columbus Park along Coes Reservoir to move forward.
The conservation commission voted 4-1 to close the hearing on the notice of intent the city filed with the board, and voted 5-0 to approve an order of conditions on the project. Chairman Joseph Charpentier explained that the votes mean that all the regulatory questions have been answered, and the project can go forward, from a regulatory standpoint.
Neighborhood residents and activists have been making public calls for the city to re-think the project, which will include a boardwalk, a fishing pier, and a replicated wetlands area that will serve as an "outdoor classroom" for environmental education.