WalkUP Roslindale is always on the lookout for opportunities to join forces with our friends at Rozzie Bikes and Roslindale Village Main Street to improve the walkability, vitality, and livability of our neighborhood. This week, we put together a letter to the Public Works Commission to raise the urgent need to improve paving conditions on Washington Street in Roslindale. The full letter appears below, and is also available in PDF form. Let’s hope we see improvements in this critical and highly-trafficked corridor this year. Demand more! Read More
Tag: RVMS
Celebrating new bicycle infrastructure in Roslindale!
It took longer than it should have given the level of community support, but many community partners, starting with RVMS but including Street Ops, the offices of councilors McCarthy and Wu, Boston Transportation Department, the BSA Foundation, RozzieBikes, and your own WalkUP Rozzie, have finally succeeded in placing a bike corral next to the parklet at Fornax. The ribbon-cutting was yesterday and we had an excellent turnout. RVMS Executive Director Christina DiLisio made the point that several thousand dollars have been raised and is now available for more bike infrastructure in the square generally, so hopefully this is just a sign of much more to come.
RVMS Bike Corral Ribbon Cutting June 6, 2016 6pm by Fornax
After many months of effort and advocacy, Roslindale is finally getting its first bicycle corral, to be installed near Fornax Bakery at 27 Corinth Street. The corral is fashioned out of recycled shipping pallets and steel pipe and will be stationed alongside the Fornax parklet. It will be dedicated to Roslindale resident and prolific bicycle advocate George Ulrich, who passed away earlier this year. George was a stalwart of Rozzie Bikes and frequently staffed the free bike repair and bike information tent at the RVMS Farmers Market.
Aside from bringing much-needed bike parking to the village, the corral will also send a message to everyone that bikes are welcome, and that we are willing to put our money where our mouth is and start investing in real infrastructure for active transportation. This is one step of many that are needed to achieve our vision of making Roslindale the most walkable neighborhood in Boston.
Please join RVMS, Street Ops, Rozzie Bikes, and others for a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 6, 2016, at 6pm. After celebrating the installation with music and refreshments, there will be an informal gathering and drinks afterwards at Sophia’s Grotto.
Roslindale Village (Walkable) Film Series Profiled by RVMS
Check out this Roslindale Village Main Street interview with Kevin Tobin, film curator for the Roslindale Village (Walkable) Film Series:
How did the Roslindale Village (Walkable) Film Series come to be and what is your particular role in it?
Steve Gag — what a guy. I had hiked with him and my father last summer and had expressed interest in trying to create a Roslindale film society, or something similar. Meanwhile, Adam Kessel and Matt Lawlor of WalkUP-Roslindale, had spoken with Steve about doing some sort of “walkable” or walking-inspired series of films. Steve and Laura Gang had hosted films at their home in the past, and, being such amazing organizers and community members, put the two ideas together and started talking to groups and business owners to try and make it happen. And a fine job they have both done! My particular role has been curation (coming up with movies and networking with the filmmakers/producers for access), poster design, and I will be moderating the series. Andy Cross, an old friend, has done a great work inventing surreal sketches and art for each individual film.
We still have four Boston-themed films remaining in our pilot run; RSVP if you’re interested, and stay tuned for more news this summer.
Late-addition to the Roundup List: Arboretum Gateway Path
I have fielded more than one note that I left the Arboretum Gateway Path off the top-of-mind list for WUR’s 2015 roundup. This is an accurate critique and so: mea culpa. The AGP was a major initiative in 2015 and, I strongly suspect, will be a major initiative this year and going forward until it’s done. In brief: We love this idea of a new Arboretum gateway and path at the Roslindale commuter rail station that would provide an alternate ped/bike path to the South/Archdale bridge area, where it would link to an extension of the existing Blackwell/Bussey Brook path (and on to Forest Hills and the Southwest Corridor path) and allow for a new, more welcoming entrance to the Arboretum at Archdale as well. We are furthermore delighted at the receptive potential partners we’ve found in our own City and State government, the Arnold Arboretum, the Arboretum Park Conservancy, RVMS, Livable Streets, and our friends at Tufts University’s environmental program who are currently conducting an initial feasibility analysis for the path. It’s also been a great way to connect early with our friends at Rozzie Bikes.
So — as we head into 2016, expect the Arboretum Gateway Path to be something we continue to talk about and organize around, a lot.