June 15, 2009
Clark transforms communities: Ex-President Clinton praises partnership
Former President Bill Clinton and Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern, both of whom spoke at the Worcester Boys & Girls Club June 12, praised Clark University for its partnership with the Main South Community Development Corporation (CDC) to revitalize the neighborhood.
During the Clinton administration, Clark and the CDC received a neighborhood revitalization grant that led to the construction of the Boys & Girls Club in 2006. The club and development of the surrounding neighborhood is a part of the University Park Partnership, a national model in urban revitalization of which Clark is a primary partner.
Clark will soon help the city break ground to build a new athletic field next to the club.
"No matter how much we appropriate money, like I did for the CDC and Clark University, if the CDC and Clark University hadn’t wanted to do what they did, hadn’t had the vision, the money would still be sitting there," Clinton said.
Representative McGovern, a Worcester native, spoke about the positive changes in the neighborhood "transformed by this great Boys & Girls Club, by 65 affordable new homes, by new business and storefronts, by a nationally renowned high school and soon by a new synthetic turf playing field on the lot next to this building.
"This transformation didn't happen by accident. It happened because of a partnership between Clark University, the Main South CDC, the city of Worcester, the Boys & Girls Club and many, many community leaders."
Clinton told the crowd that Worcester was one of his favorite cities. "I'm glad that I could be some help in what I see here," he said. "But really, the people in this community deserve all the credit. I don't know how many times I've told people around America, that if they would just come here and see what you all are doing and how you have given people remarkable opportunities against great odds—they could do the same thing."
While in Worcester, Clinton also attended a fund-raiser and rally for McGovern.