We enthusiastically support the Rozzie Urban Wild protection campaign, an effort spearheaded by WalkUP members and East Roslindale/Mt. Hope-Canterbury neighborhood residents Lisa Beatman and Rick Yoder. Back in November, the West Roxbury/Roslindale Bulletin highlighted the systemic disregard for Greenbelt protection along American Legion Highway. More recently, the Bulletin ran another piece, detailing the potential for the area to be turned into a vibrant greenspace. Check out both stories, and kudos to Lisa and Rick for keeping the spotlight on this important initiative!
Taft Hill Park Proposal Takes a Step Forward
We blogged about the proposal for 19 new residential units on Taft Hill Park (directly adjacent to the city’s public parking lot) a couple of months ago, shortly before the BRA’s public meeting on the developer’s small project review application. And we followed that up with a letter during the comment period. Just this week, small project review concluded with the BRA Board’s approval at their meeting on Thursday, along with five other projects indicative of the current pace of development in Boston. In WalkUP Roslindale’s view, this is the right result. In our comment letter, we expressed overall support for the location and the thoughtful way the developer was taking advantage of the highly transit-accessible and walkable location, while offering our suggestions on certain aspects of the developer’s proposal. The next step for the proposal will be to proceed with the process for obtaining the zoning relief (specifically, variances) needed under the zoning code. This will likely mean another community meeting and then the required hearing before the Board of Appeal. We will continue to follow the proposal and how our suggestions are ultimately responded to. Look for updates here as this proposal continues to work its way through the review and approval process.
Boston’s Vision Zero Action Plan and sharing the Arboretum Gateway Path with our friends at LivableStreets’ 10-in-1 Street Talk
As part of our effort to spread the word and gather more support for the Arboretum Gateway Path concept, I was excited to have the opportunity to do a 7 minute presentation at LivableStreets Alliance’s 10-in-1 Street Talk last Wednesday night at the Old South Meeting House downtown. This is the 10th anniversary for these talks, and they’re a great way to connect with folks who have similar interests and advocating for making our streets and public places better and safer for everyone. LivableStreets has posted some photos from the event on their facebook page. I’ll share the video of the whole thing as soon as I see it posted in a public forum, but I was most struck during the evening by the presentation from Mark Chase of Somerville Neighborways. You should check out the images on the website, especially the concept of stressing the importance and local ownership of key intersections with resident-organized and applied graphics painted directly on the pavement. Pretty impressive and something that we should look into doing here in Roslindale – I have my own thoughts on where, and I’m sure others in our neighborhood do as well.
The evening got off to a great start with the semi-surprise of the Mayor’s announcement of the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan in a short video, which was followed by reinforcing remarks from BTD Commissioner Gina Fiandaca. Chief of Streets Chris Osgood was also personally in attendance to emphasize the importance of the announcement. The whole action plan is worth looking at and taking part in as it moves forward. But I would say that among the most interesting and important early action items is the institution of neighborhood slow speed zones in the Talbot-Norfolk triangle near Codman Square in Dorchester and between Washington Street and Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain’s Stonybrook section. My own understanding is that this is mainly a matter of lowering the speed limit from 30 to 20 mph and highlighting that fact with signage and enhanced crosswalk treatments and related measures. Bottom line: The pilots are a great idea, long past due, yet fundamentally every residential area in the city should get the same treatment, as soon as the city can get the standard package set next spring and summer through the pilots and then roll them out. The data on vehicle speed vs. fatality rates for pedestrians are uniform on pointing to the shift from 30 to 20 pm as being absolutely essential. If we can get actual vehicle speeds to that lower level on our neighborhood streets, we will have accomplished something of real and lasting value.
Healy Playground – Public Meeting – Monday 12/14/15 6:30pm at Archdale Community Center
Quality parks and playgrounds are another essential element to our WalkUP vision. There’s an opportunity next week to make your voice heard and show the city that we care about better facilities in Roslindale. Attend this meeting about planned improvements to Healy Playground (the playground at 160 Florence Street, off of Washington Street). Details:
Time: Monday, December 14, 2015 6:30pm-8pm
Location: BCYF Archdale Community Center, 125 Brookway Road
Contcat: Cathy Baker-Eclipse at Boston Parks and Recreation Department, 617-961-3058, Cathy.Baker-Eclipse@nullboston.gov
See also this full-page flyer for the event.
Spread the word!
Walk Audit Complete
This past weekend, an intrepid group of about two dozen Roslindale walkers itemized the many ways in which the square’s pedestrian environment should be improved, with the help of our friends at WalkBoston. The event was a great success. Stay tuned for a full report and action plan in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please check out this slideshow that was presented to the group before the walk in the 2 Belgrade Ave (former Select Cafe) space; also see WalkBoston’s latest e-news bulletin for their report on the audit. The bulletin also includes lots of other useful information, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already.
WalkUP Roslindale in the News – 100 Weld Street Approved
We’ve posted multiple times about the proposed development at 100 Weld Street, which recently won approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The project could have been better–we would have especially liked to see more mixed use (i.e. retail) and a more progressive approach to parking–but on balance we supported the proposal because it should revitalize vacant space, benefit the business district, and help with the housing crisis. Earlier this month, the Roslindale Bulletin ran a feature on the BRA approval, quoting our own Matt Lawlor. The full article is reproduced below.
Join Us for Rozzie Square “Walk Audit” December 5, 2015 at 9am at 2 Belgrade Avenue
Would you like to help improve the pedestrian environment around Roslindale Square?
We’re doing a “Walk Audit” foot tour with the help of WalkBoston to identify the most pressing issues with sidewalks, intersections, traffic signals, and crosswalks, so we
can bring them to the attention of the right City departments and GET THEM FIXED!
WHEN: Saturday, December 5, 2015 9am‐11am
WHERE: Starting inside 2 Belgrade Ave
(a/k/a the former “Select Café” and “Emack and Bolio’s”)
WHY: Because a walkable community is a healthy community.
RSVP to info@nullwalkuproslindale.org or on the Facebook event page or on the Nextdoor event page.
Please check out our full-page flyer and tear-off flyer for this event. Feel free to post widely.
Stay tuned here for any last minute weather announcements.
Official WalkUP Roslindale Comment Letter – Centre Street Corridor Study
We sent our third WalkUP comment letter today, providing feedback on the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Centre Street Corridor Study, focusing specifically on the intersection of Centre and Walter Streets, quite likely the most crash-prone intersection in all of Roslindale. We hope DCR will consider our comments seriously and ensure improvements to this area benefit users of all modes of transportation. In addition, because the redesign and construction are likely years away, we emphasize the need to make common-sense easy improvements today, such as flexi-poles and lane-narrowing, which will save lives and prevent serious injuries while we are waiting for the longer process to complete.
The comment period is open until November 30, 2015. Please add your voice (select “Improved Multi-Modal Safety and Access to Emerald Necklace Parks in Jamaica Plain (Centre Street)” from the drop-down list)!
The content of our letter is reproduced below.
Urban Moneyball for Walkability
Thought-provoking episode of Christopher Lydon’s Open Source podcast, featuring Mayor Walsh’s chief of staff Daniel Arrigg Koh among others, about the city’s ambitious move toward a “Moneyball” statistical/evidence-based approached to government. There are benefits as well as perils to this approach–we need to make sure we measure the right things, protect against “gaming” the system, and not lose sight of the forest for the trees (or, in this case, for micro-level data). The opportunities to promote walkability through a data driven approach are manifold and exciting, however, and better collection and use of data is key to the Vision Zero Initiative.
We recommend the entire episode which repeatedly touches on issues of transportation, walkability, density, and vibrant neighborhoods, but if you only have a minute, check out this snippet from city planner Jeff Speck, Boston-area resident and author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, who called in to highlight the importance of walkability metrics.
Also of interest is a somewhat contrary perspective on the “knowledge economy” and its ill impacts on neighborhood character from the Baffler’s John Summers, who bemoans the transformation of Central Square later in the episode, expressing the general sentiment of his article The People’s Republic of Zuckerstan.
Go Boston 2030 Idea Roundtable – Roslindale Session Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 at Roslindale Community Center
Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh announced Imagine Boston 2030, the first citywide planning process in 50 years. The Imagine Boston 2030 process is an opportunity and a framework for WalkUP Roslindale supporters to advance our vision of a walkable neighborhood and a walkable city where people of all ages will have ample convenient and safe options for getting around by foot, bicycle, and transit. The 2030 target date is far enough away that we could make substantial investments and improvements in that time frame, but close enough that we should be moving ideas into policy and policy into practice starting now. But it will only live up to its potential if residents speak up and engage in the process.
One important part of the Imagine Boston 2030 citywide effort is Go Boston 2030, “an initiative to envision a bold transportation future for the city.” Go Boston 2030 has been holding visioning meetings at various locations throughout the city, and the Rozzie session is set for Thursday of this week.
The Go Boston 2030 Idea Roundtables are designed to gather transportation project and policy ideas that would most affect our lives. By donating your ideas, you will contribute to planning a transportation future that works for everyone. It is important that those who share our vision of making Roslindale the most walkable neighborhood in Boston turn out and speak up. Details below:
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2015
Time: 6pm – 8:30pm
Location:
Roslindale Community Center
6 Cummins Hwy
Spread the word!
