I was definitely surprised,' said Flynn, a salesman who regularly takes his dog, Mr. Worthy, for runs along the trails in the Newton Hill section of Elm Park. I go up there for the dog and for myself, too, to meditate and find some down time,' he said. It's a common misconception that all walkways in Worcester are of the cracked concrete kind and that heavily visited Elm Park is the only green patch for miles around. One reason is the low profile of Worcester's wild spaces, many of which are hidden from the traffic on city streets. Perkins Farm conservation area, once the site of Worcester's last working farm, is tucked behind busy stores on Grafton Street.
Shoppers come and go, unaware of the verdant gem just beyond the parking lot.
I've taken the kids to Perkins Farm, which is magical,' Fine said. You'd never even know it exists. If you're in the Building 19 parking lot, there's a grocery store on your right. If you walk behind it, there's a chain link fence and that's the entrance to Perkins Farm. The Fines' favorite place is the one closest to their west side home - Cascades Park, on Cataract Street, off Mower Street in the city's northwest corner.