UPDATE – Insufficient snow fall – STAND DOWN – WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative – v. 6.1 ON ALERT

UPDATE: The snow came late and it did make things look wintry (finally), but it’s definitely below 4″ (10 cm) here at WUR Snow Clearance Collaborative HQ, so we will not be officially calling out our forces. Still, it looks like we have something like 3″ (7.5 cm), so help out your neighbors if you see some trouble spots that require clearing. Thanks all!

Well, the forecasters and our old friend the Boston Yeti (who hasn’t been seen in these parts since early 2022) indicate that we may well have clearable snow (i.e., 4″ (10 cm) or more of the white stuff) with the coastal storm that is anticipated to start late tonight and last most of the day tomorrow. Accordingly, we are putting our snow collaborative forces ON ALERT and asking that everyone who can, please be ready to pick up a shovel and safely, calmly, and with maximum dignity clear out a bus stop, a curb ramp, or a critical pedestrian or cycle path wherever in Roslindale they may be, then send us a picture of the dug out location(s) at matthew.j.lawlor@nullgmail.com, and we’ll be happy to give you our deepest thanks and work with our friends at Roslindale Village Main Street to get you a $10 coupon to the Roslindale Square business of your choice. Thanks everybody and stay tuned!

The Boston Yeti: Social media sensation returns as area is struck by ...

Community Screening – “The Street Project” – Sunday, 25 June 2023 – 12:30 pm – Rozzie Square Theater

As we noted a few days ago, WalkUP Roslindale are confirmed to present a community screening of The Street Project, a new documentary from 9-time Emmy-award winning filmmaker Jennifer Boyd, focusing on the movement for safer streets around the US and the world. The screening will take place at 12:30 pm on the afternoon of Sunday, 25 June 2023, at the Rozzie Square Theater on Basile Street in Roslindale Square. So, come on down and support WalkUP Roslindale’s efforts to raise awareness and move the needle around these issues here at home. The screening will feature a community-led discussion about street safety in Roslindale and across Boston where we’ll hear voices from residents, cyclists, advocates, and participation from city planner and Walkable City author, Jeff Speck. Seating is limited to 49 and seats are FREE (with donations through our fiscal sponsor, Roslindale Village Main Street, in any amount encouraged), so get your advance tickets HERE. Special thanks to Courtney and the team at RST for donating use of the theater space without cost. We look forward to seeing you there!

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative – Version 5.4 – Back at it!

Well, it appears that enough heavy, wet snow has fallen that we are once again calling on our Snow Clearance Collaborative friends and neighbors to pick up a shovel, find a nearby plowed in bus stop or crosswalk curb ramp, and clear it so that everyone who needs or wants to get around on foot or transit can do so safely and comfortably. Send pix of the before and afters to mlawlor@nullrc.com and we’ll be happy to post them here and if you’d like, we will also send you $10 in Rozzie Bucks from our friends at Roslindale Village Main Street. Many thanks!

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative – Version 5.3 – Mobilize!

Well, the overall forecast was for 1″ to 3″, but the upper range seems to have been doubled and it looks like we’ve reached close to 6″ (15cm). We are accordingly calling out our forces to clear bus stops, crosswalk ramps, and any other pedestrian walkways that are looking in need of clearance from someone who cares. As a reminder, the way this works is that we accept photos of before and after (email them to mlawlor@nullrc.com) and are happy to work with our friends at Roslindale Village Main Street to thank Collaborative participants with $10 in Rozzie Bucks. Many thanks in advance!

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative – Version 5.2

If the forecasters are even half right, tomorrow looks like a doozy around here, so we’re making the call now for all WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative forces to be out, in force, shoveling bus stops and crosswalk curb ramps to help everyone get around more easily after the storm. As a refresher, we now have a fully distributed model where everyone in Roslindale is their own block captain with full power and authority vested in them by WalkUP Roslindale to clear their local crosswalk curb ramp and dig out their nearby bus stop, snapping pictures before and after and sending them to yours truly at matthew.j.lawlor@nullgmail.com, to claim $10 in Rozzie Bucks from our good friends at Roslindale Village Main Street. Stay safe, stay warm, and we’ll see you out shoveling after the storm. (Yes, that is our old friend the Boston Yeti, looking to make a comeback again this year!)

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative – Version 5.1

Well, after another remarkably warm December, we’ve now had our first significant snowfall of the season. We are accordingly activating our snow collaborative forces and asking that everyone who can, please pick up a shovel and safely and calmly dig out a bus stop, a curb ramp, or a critical pedestrian path wherever in Roslindale they may be, then send us a picture of the dug out locations at mlawlor@nullrc.com, and we’ll be happy to give you kudos and work with our friends at Roslindale Village Main Street to get you $10 in Rozzie Bucks. Thanks!

We’re official!

More than six years have passed since WalkUP Roslindale was informally launched, growing out of some even more informally-organized community conversations. We recently decided it is time to make it official: we are proud to announce we are now incorporated as a Massachusetts nonprofit organization (technically “Walkable Urban Places Roslindale”, but you can still call us WalkUP Rozzie).

This newly-formed nonprofit is governed by a board of 23 Roslindale residents and business owners, most of whom were previously members of our “steering committee” before the incorporation. We are still working out our structures and processes, but we have elected an initial slate of officers and chartered two board subcommittees that should cover most of our mission. These are listed below:

  • Officers (Executive Committee)
    • President – Matt Lawlor
    • Vice-President – Adam Kessel
    • Secretary – Kathryn Ostrofsky
    • Treasurer – Mandana Moshgathi
  • Initial subcommittees
    • Transportation (chaired by Adam Kessel)
    • Housing & Development (chaired by Rob Orthman)

We’ve also selected board members to be “liaisons” or representatives to our various partners and elected officials, including each of the district city councilors covering Roslindale (4, 5, and 6), the Mayor’s office/Neighborhood Services, Roslindale Village Main Street, Roslindale Leaders Meeting, Roslindale Business Group, and the Vision Zero Coalition taskforce.

Stay tuned for more announcements soon about our plans for the coming year.

WalkUP Roslindale Snow Clearance Collaborative, Version 4.3 – You know the drill by now…

We have snow falling again this afternoon and though it isn’t yet sticking on the motor vehicle travel lanes of our streets, it does appear to be accumulating on sidewalks and other paths. We are accordingly calling out our forces again – If we hit 4″ (10cm), please do what you can to clear out bus stops, crosswalk ramps, and other paths for our neighbors. If you make it out and get it done, send us before and after pictures (email Matt at mlawlor@nullrc.com) and make yourself eligible for $10 in Rozzie Bucks from our good friends and sponsors at Roslindale Village Main Street. It is worth noting that we here at WalkUP Roslindale are aware that there is an ongoing debate and plenty of advocacy ground to cover as to how priorities are set and how we as a city clear snow and ice. We acknowledge that this collaborative is barely scratching the surface of what is needed. But we think we have to start somewhere and take action.

Cummins/Canterbury/HP Av Walk Audit Now Virtual & Rescheduled – 14-21 December 2020

Finally following up on our rescheduled walk audit for the triangle bounded by Cummins Highway, Canterbury Street, and Hyde Park Avenue – with special focus on the so-called “missing middle” on Cummins between Canterbury/American Legion and Rowe Street – WalkUP Roslindale is proud to announce that we will be holding this walk audit virtually over the week starting on Monday, December 14th at 7 pm with a “Pedestrian 101” presentation over zoom, followed by individual, self-guided walk audits and reporting of observations/recommendations during the following 7 days, and then a regroup to discuss results over zoom on Monday, December 21st, also at 7 pm.

Please contact Matt Lawlor at mlawlor@nullrc.com if you’re interested in participating so that we can provide you with a link to the initial zoom meeting. We would thrilled to welcome anyone of any age who has an interest in making this part of our neighborhood safer for everyone using its streets. We are also proud to be partnering with Roslindale Village Main Street to offer $10 Rozzie Buck coupons for participation in each of the 3 phases of the audit.

Special thanks to WalkBoston for lending us their platform and expertise on conducting virtual walk audits.