CutilloParkfinallyopened
By Phil Orlandella
Without any formal ceremony the long-awaited opening of Cutillo Park on Stillman Street, North End has finally opened for thepublictoenjoy.
Reportedly, weather conditions and contractor problems delayed Boston Parks and Recreation Department from opening the parkgates.
Kristen Hoffman, the President of theFriends of CutilloPark, the communitygroupthat spearheaded the rehabilitation of the playground, that cost over $2 million told thereview.
Almost as soon as the pack was reopened, Kristin said, "She's seeing young people playing basketball as well as folks using the tablesandplaygroundarea,itwas nicetosee."
She added, "There are still rat traps in the park and adjacent areas and trash on Morton Street isstillanissue."
Right from the start, when the city allocated the rehabilitation funding, the Friends were fully involvedwiththedesignplansand
whatkind of equipmentwould be placedinthecommunitypark.
The park, over time, had been vandalized, unmaintained, rodent infected and was used by drug users, especially at nighttime, as a place to do their thing, making thisareaanunsafeplace,especiallyforparkabutters.
TheFriends, now thatthe park has open, depending on the lighting conditions,will askthecityto placecamerasinthe park,confirm a maintenance planfromthePark Department, have rodent control step up, make sure dog owners abideby therules andhave police patrolthearea,especiallyatnighttime to discourage undesirables fromusingthepark.
SomeHistoryofthePark
Cutillo Park on Stillman Street was renamed and dedicated on July4, 1922forVincentJ.Cutillo.
CutilloaNorthEndresidentof 9NoyesPlace,wherehelivedwith his family, join the Armed Forces at a young age and was killed in actioninWorldWarIonMay27, 1928 whenhewas22.
Cutillo Park (known as this Stillman Street Playground by local residents) has a history of
Shown(aboveandbelow)arephotosofthenewlyrehabilitatedCutilloParklocatedonStillmanStreetinthe NorthEnd.
sports, games and many other activities.
ThesitewasonceaMetropolitan DistrictCommission (MDC) skating rink- "Cutillo Skating Rink" and was eventually closed and demolishedbecauseofahistoryof vandalism and a decreased use of activities.
ItwasturnedovertotheBoston ParksandRecreationDepartments oncedemolished.
