WORCESTER – This central Massachusetts city is called the “Heart of the Commonwealth.” Boston’s Triple-A team for the last 48 years called Pawtucket, RI home (1973-2020), and played in McCoy Stadium. Many New Englanders hold fond memories of the PawSox days, but a new era is upon us. The WooSox opened a brand-new ballpark in Worcester’s resurgent Canal District, and Polar Park is now welcoming fans at 100 percent capacity.

The new Triple-A ballpark is mere footsteps from Interstate 290. It is easy-on and easy-off the highway to get to the park. There are plenty of public and private parking lots within a three to 10 minute walk to the park, and the City of Worcester is building a new garage right across the street,which is set to be ready for 2022, if not later this summer. Funding for the parking lot is being provided by the state, and there will be sublease agreements with the developer and Polar Park. If a park-goer is coming from the east, the west or even south, they can get to Worcester and Polar Park in less than an hour.

Polar Park’s capacity is 9,508, which is a little nod to Worcester’s area code, 508. Each row of seats features the Heart of the Commonwealth. What’s so interesting about this is the cast-iron Worcester Worcesters logo, commemorating the 1880 National League Club. The heart is also designed right into the light standards. Once the sun sets and the park’s lights are shining bright, patrons can see each set of lights is in the shape of a heart. Guests can find the heart in the Welcome to Polar Park message behind home plate, too.

Why go to a minor league ballpark if guests can’t experience some of the local flavor? Polar Park does Worcester and Central Mass. proud by featuring some of the area’s great food institutions. The Wonder Bar – known for its pizza – has a stand in the concourse on the first base side. Both George’s Coney Island hot dogs of Worcester and BT’s BBQ of Sturbridge have concession stands up on and behind the Worcester Wall. The Wall is like a mini-Green Monster – but this one’s blue. Grab a Coney, some BBQ and check out the view of the field from atop the Wall.

Don’t forget to hit the Craft Corner on your way up to the Worcester Wall. Hang out in the Corner and enjoy a local craft beverage with a great right field view of the park. Worcester’s Wormtown Brewery is also prominently featured, with several types of their beer available throughout the park. The Home Plate Bar and the upstairs DCU Club are also cool spots to take in the scenery.

Another intriguing feature of Polar Park is its proximity to Worcester’s Union Station. There are train tracks directly behind the left field wall. Freight trains could pass by several times during a game.

Smiley Ball is the WooSox mascot. Worcester is the birthplace of the Smiley Face. It was created in Worcester by Harvey Ball in December 1963.

There are still some parts of Polar Park under construction, most of which were completed and open by July 4. The left field berm will be a popular Spring Training-like ballpark hangout, and the market area behind the berm will have numerous shops. There will also be a kids playground area out in center field beyond the giant black batter’s eye, which Franchy Cordero launched a mammoth blast off of earlier this season.

Tickets to watch the WooSox at Polar Park are much more affordable than going to a major league ballpark. Guests can purchased seats with great views for $40 each, or can be frugal and get $8 Yaz tickets or even $9 general admission tickets. For general admission tickets at Polar Park, individuals who purchase them can claim any red stool around the park if it’s not being used or reserved for a group outing. In general, good seats can be had for between $12 to $21. There are several group areas that offer amazing vantage points of the field, including Shaw’s Bullpen Terraces on both sides of the field, and the Hanover Deck, which is out in left field with stellar views of the park and downtown Worcester, and the train tracks right behind it.

For more information on Polar Park or the WooSox, go to polarpark.com. Polar Park is located at 100 Madison St. in Worcester.