Fidelity Bank gets naming rights to new Worcester rinks

Grant Welker The Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center under construction Tuesday.

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By Grant Welker

The ice rink and recreational center under construction in Worcester's Canal District will be named for Leominster-based Fidelity Bank.

The $18-million facility will be named the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center under a 10-year naming rights deal announced Tuesday by the bank and the Worcester Railers HC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 110,000-square-foot Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center will open in September with two rinks, recreational space, a Reliant Medical Group’s physical therapy center and a two-story restaurant called Nonna's Kitchen and Nonna's Cafe. Both eateries will be operated by Niche Hospitality, the owner of The Fix Burger Bar and Mezcal Tequila Cantina.

The Railers will use the facility as its practice rink, and Worcester State University, Becker College, Worcester Academy, the Junior Railers and Junior Crusaders youth hockey programs and others will play there.

Railers owner Cliff Rucker is the owner of the facility, which is being built at Winter and Harding streets. The hockey team, a member of the minor-league ECHL, will play their inaugural game Oct. 14 at the DCU Center.

Fidelity Bank has 10 bank branches including one in Worcester at 465 Shrewsbury St. A second Worcester location is slated to open downtown next spring.