A more perfect Union; Let there be parking, and development.COLUMN: IN OUR OPINION The completion and impending im·pend intr.v. im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends 1. To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending. 2. opening of the Union Station parking garage puts into place one of the most important pieces of the revitalization re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. of Worcester's downtown. In the more than 10 years since renovation of the station began, the city has faced and overcome numerous challenges and delays. One reality has remained constant: In a society that still depends upon the automobile as the prime mode of transportation, people cannot and will not make full use of any facility if they have no place to park. It is certainly true that the costs of the garage proved much higher than originally envisioned. A decade ago, the city had hoped to open the garage by 2000 at a cost of $9 million. Its completion this week at $19.2 million means - from a motorist's point of view, at least - that each of its 500 spaces has cost some $38,400 to bring to reality. The more important point, however, is to recognize that only with the creation of adequate and easily accessible parking can Union Station and the surrounding area, including the Green and Harding street neighborhoods and Canal District, be expected to reach their potential. To be sure, the lack of a garage to date is hardly the most important or sole reason that Union Station has had difficulty attracting and retaining tenants. Nonetheless, the new facility - assuming the placement of proper signage and the setting of reasonable parking rates - should remove a major deterrent de·ter·rent adj. Tending to deter: deterrent weapons. n. 1. Something that deters: a deterrent to theft. 2. for would-be tenants, as well as the traveling and visiting public, many of whom shun Shun In Chinese mythology, one of the three legendary emperors, along with Yao and Da Yu, of the golden age of antiquity (c. 23rd century BC), singled out by Confucius as models of integrity and virtue. valet parking valet parking n. Parking arrangements provided by a commercial establishment, such as a restaurant, whereby patrons leave their cars at the entrance and attendants park and retrieve them. Noun 1. and simply want a safe, secure and enclosed en·close also in·close tr.v. en·closed, en·clos·ing, en·clos·es 1. To surround on all sides; close in. 2. To fence in so as to prevent common use: enclosed the pasture. parking facility within reasonable walking distance. Finally, Worcester must remain aggressive in marketing Union Station, both as it exists and in light of further developments promised with the coming of the CitySquare project. And even as the garage fills with cars, officials and the public should keep up the chorus that railroad railroad or railway, form of transportation most commonly consisting of steel rails, called tracks, on which freight cars, passenger cars, and other rolling stock are drawn by one locomotive or more. officials and the state have been hearing for some time: More trains, please. |
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