DCU Center Pavilion Gets New Name
Newly named Novalarm Pavilion - DCU Center (Worcester, MA)
Leominster-based Novalarm signs five-year agreement as Worcester Railers notch big weekend
By Bill Ballou
WORCESTER—It was a hat trick weekend at the DCU Center.
Thursday night the Railers had their first-ever three-goal game from a defenseman as Case McCarthy helped them beat Reading, 5-3.
Before Friday’s game, Novalarm was introduced as the third sponsor of the arena pavilion, the indoor space at the main entrance where hockey fans and anyone else entering the DCU Center come in out of winter’s cold breezes, summer’s sultry winds and the occasional thunderstorm, to attend an event.
The Novalarm Pavilion is the third name, the hat trick, for the destination. It had previously been sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health and most recently Fallon Health. The naming rights are part of a five-year agreement with building management.
The first two sponsors were health-related and easy to identify. Novalarm is a bit different, demonstrating the evolution of security. In the good old days of crime, homes and businesses used hungry German Shepherds to prevent criminals carrying crowbars and wearing Donald Duck masks from breaking in.
Among other things, modern security saves on dog food.
According to its website, Novalarm “Delivers intelligent security solutions by integrating fragmented systems into one seamless platform. Our approach simplifies workplace safety, reduces risk and eliminates unnecessary complexity because security shouldn’t be complicated and no one should have to risk their life just to earn a living.”
The new sponsor is based in Leominster. It is owned by husband and wife Jonathan and Amber Selesky. Both were on hand for the ribbon-cutting Friday along with Railers president Kim Golinski as well as COO Mike Myers, DCU Center general manager Amy Peterson, Mayor Joseph Petty, and Tim Murray, President and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Railers communications director Tim Foley was the master of ceremonies.
The agreement is not just about dollar signs, according to Jonathan Selesky.
“For us, the value’s in the partnering,” he said. “When we can identify with those who have similar values, we want to do business with them. What we’re hoping to get from this are those opportunities, but even more important that is that it’s an investment in the city.
“It is an investment in people. This is a place that brings people together, and we’re here for five years, maybe longer.”
The pavilion opened in 2017. That coincided with the Railers’ debut season in the ECHL so there has been a close connection between the hockey team and the pavilion. It is one of the many improvements the building has made since the IceCats brought hockey here in 1994.
“We roll out a new look and identity for the arena pavilion we are sitting in, standing in,” Peterson said before the ribbon was officially cut. “We are always looking for a way to elevate the experience for our fans and partners. This partnership represents a shared commitment to deliver an exceptional experience for our fans, and make a meaningful contribution to our culture.”
Murray reflected on what was located in and around 50 Foster Street before the building opened in 1982
“There had been a great community debate in the late 1970s about whether or not to build the Centrum, now the DCU Center,” he said. “Ultimately, the aspirational vision of building the arena complex….won out.
“This has been, in my mind, one of the key moments in Worcester in terms of changing the narrative, changing the perception of the city….we remember that history, celebrate it a little as we look forward.”
The Railers later did their part in the first event held with the new pavilion name in place. Talk about security? Goaltender Parker Gahagen turned in a Novalarm performance against the Reading Royals as he made 36 saves in a 2-1 victory that kept Worcester’s playoff hopes alive.
