UniBank Supports the Canal District Alliance's 2nd Annual CanalFest

UniBank is pleased to announce that a $1,000 grant has been donated to the Greater Worcester Land Trust to benefit the Canal District Alliance’s 2nd Annual CanalFest on Harding Street in Worcester. The Canal District Alliance, in collaboration with the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, will host the 2nd Annual CanalFest on Saturday, September 8, 2007 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The goal of the festival is to promote awareness about the “Free the Blackstone” project and to celebrate the revitalization of the historic Canal District.

The “Free the Blackstone” project is a revitalization plan that is currently underway along Harding Street in Worcester from Union Station to Kelley Square. Once complete, the project will have recreated a portion of the Blackstone Canal for the purpose of enhancing tourism in the area, as well as functioning as a residential area.

Historically, the Blackstone Canal connected the cities of Worcester and Providence commercially and played an important role in the Blackstone Valley during the Industrial Revolution. The canal was a lively current of economical growth, but currently runs unused beneath the streets of Worcester. The residential portion of the project is currently underway, with canal construction planned for the future of the project.

CanalFest entertainment includes food, music, children’s activities, horse and wagon rides, historical presentations and raffles. The key attraction at the event is a 75-foot replication of a segment of the canal that will be filled with over 4,500 gallons of water.

According to Kenneth J. Redding, president and CEO of UniBank, “UniBank is proud to support CanalFest and this important project that will restore a vital part of history in Worcester and in the Blackstone Valley. The completed project will undoubtedly increase tourism to the region and be a valuable attraction for years to come.”

Roxann Horton, chairman of festival, stated, “This is a classic street festival with fun for the whole family. The festival will spotlight the new emerging and fashionable Canal District, along with its importance to the overall economic development in Worcester and Central Massachusetts. UniBank’s grant to this project will help perpetuate the legacy of this historical region.”