The Gavin Foundation’s 2025 “Road to Recovery” Gala –an event that will provide help to those who seek or are enrolled in the Gavin’s recovery programs was a great success. More than 400 guests attended the Gala, which included both silent and live auctions, two Gavin Foundation Awards, and most of all, an evening spent in good fellowship. A memorable time was had by all.
Peter Barbuto is the President and CEO of the Gavin Foundation; he served as one of the evening’s Event Chairs as well. He is an accomplished speaker, and gave a summary of the Gavin’s history that began on East Fourth Street over 60 years ago. Peter spoke of John McGahan’s role in spreading the Gavin’s recovery services far and wide in and around Greater Boston, and he closed those remarks by stating that “John never said ‘No’ to anyone.” He also saluted the other three Event Chairs – Brian Nee, Eileen Connors, and William “Willie” Ostiguy.
Peter then conferred the evening’s 2025 “Caring Hearts” Award on Edward A. “Edso” Kelly. The Award recognized Edso’s ongoing support of the Gavin, the whole recovery movement, and first responders
across the nation. He is currently the President of the IAFF (the International Association of Fire Fighters) and he took part in major disaster responses, such as the attack on the World Trade Center and the Boston Marathon bombing. Despite his nationwide responsibilities, Edso still devotes time and effort all over Greater Boston to organizations such as the Gavin Foundation.
Next, Massachusetts
Governor Maura Healey received the Gavin Foundation “Person of the Year” Award from Peter, for her dedication to helping those who are struggling with addiction, substance abuse, and behavioral health difficulties. Peter praised Healey for her legal battles against the pharmaceutical industry, concerning pharma’s now wellknown roles in America’s opioid crisis. As a result, settlements of many billions of dollars will now become available to fund country-wide recovery programs. And recently, Healey’s administration signed legislation in support of recovery statewide recovery programs.
Many prominent guests attended Thursday’s Gavin Gala. John McGahan, now retired after 30 years devoted to expanding the Gavin Foundation services, was there. Marty Walsh, Mayor of Boston, Secretary of Labor, and Executive Director of the NHL Players Association since 2023, delivered a few words – “He never forgets the work in recovery” was a frequent comment heard about Marty at the Gala. And the Gala closed with Tom Tinlin in the role of the evening’s auctioneer – a selftaught auctioneer at that. Tom is a Markets Director at Howard Stein Hudson, and he has consistently supported South Boston’s neighborhood organizations. His expert handling of auctions is invariably awesome – Tom successfully auctioned off sports events, travel items, and elegant dining out last Thursday evening.
IAFF President Kelly holds his “Caring Hearts” Award, as Willie Ostiguy, Peter Barbuto, and Brian Nee look on.
Gavin CEO Peter Barbuto awards “Person of the Year” to Gov. Maura Healey.
Gavin CEO Peter Barbuto greets Gala Auctioneer Tom Tinlin.
City Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn at the Gavin. Gala.
The Hon. Martin “Marty” Walsh, an Event Chair, addresses the Gavin Gala.
City Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy enjoyed calling out numbers and catching up with senior friends in Southie at the Condon Community Center’s Mother’s Day Bingo! Always a joy to share laughs, lunch, and prizes with such a special crowd.
Councilor Flynn Calls For 7 Night “Resident Parking Only” In South Boston
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn filed a hearing order to discuss implementation of a 7 nights per week “Resident Parking Only” policy in all areas of South Boston that do not currently have overnight parking restrictions. For several years, Councilor Flynn made this recommendation for many reasons - including in the interest of fairness and consistency with residents in neighborhoods throughout South Boston, as City Point has had 7 nights per week “Resident Parking Only” for over a decade, as well as other neighborhoods in similar proximity to Downtown currently having enforcement of an even stricter “24/7 “Resident Parking Only” policy than what Councilor Flynn is proposing.
For years, residents have highlighted the impact of decades of unprecedented growth in South Boston on parking and quality of life - including the unsustainable imbalance of currently issued resident parking stickers and available parking spaces, along with a number of large-scale development proposals on the horizon that will include thousands of new residents and visitors alike. In addition, the City of Boston continues to hold South Boston to a different standard when it comes to a lack of sufficient parking with new Article 80 development projects. At the same time, neighbors have to consistently search for parking for a considerable period of time after taking their children to activities, helping an elderly parent, or enjoying a night outthey come home to circle for 45 minutes hoping to find a spot.
Over the last several years, the parking crisis in South Boston has become increasingly unsustainable. In 2023, a Boston Transportation Department (BTD) study indicated there were 28,900 active resident parking
permits and only 10,600 on-street parking spaces. Although Councilor Flynn requested an audit of all residential parking permits, and BTD subsequently revoked thousands that were ineligible, concerns remain for residents on enforcement and a policy of automatic resident parking permit renewals that has continued since the pandemic.
Meanwhile, South Boston continues to absorb a significant number of Article 80 development projects, with many currently either in the pipeline or now in community processsuch as Washington Village, 776 Summer Street (Edison Project), Mary Ellen McCormack, On the Dot (Dorchester Ave), 244 A Street, Gillette, the Reserved Channel Development, and nearby Dorchester Bay City. There is an approved hotel on Cypher Street without parking, and resident parking is also currently not available on many areas of First Street. While there are projects that have gained support of the community in the midst of our housing crisis, development teams have reported being stalled with requests to cut already agreed upon parking ratios and closely adhere to BTD’s recommended guidelines of 0.5 spots per unit, instead of local zoning regulations. Residents then express concerns regarding sufficient parking on-site for new development, and question the ability of BTD to restrict residential parking permits for new rental developments and prevent an overflow of street parking. Just this week - thanks to the advocacy of hundreds of South Boston residents, local civic groups, and the South Boston elected officials - the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) denied a proposal that featured 70 units and zero parking spaces. South Boston residents
consistently report a large number of out-of-state plates and cars lacking a resident parking permit, even during hours of “Resident Parking Only”Monday-Thursday, 6pm-10am. With the neighborhood having become a destination for young people on the weekend, this dynamic increases significantlyas many visitors park for several days beginning Friday morning at 10am through Monday evenings at 6pm. At the very time this influx of non-resident vehicles occurs each weekend, there are no “Resident Parking Only” restrictions to speak of, and BTD enforcement scales back drastically. As a result, neighbors report increased public safety issues, such as illegal parking in handicap spots, crosswalks, MBTA bus stops, blocking driveways and fire hydrants.
For years, residents have been told at development meetings that impacts on parking will be limited; yet, the abundance of parking on holidays tell us otherwise. As our City encourages use of the MBTA and other means to reduce traffic, congestion and single use vehicles - there should be no issue with an updated resident parking policy to help curb additional
vehicles, dissuade young people visiting our local establishments from drinking and driving, provide relief for residents, and mitigate the negative impacts to public and pedestrian safety from drivers unfamiliar with our roads or illegally parked cars.
Over the last 18 months, BTD informed Councilor Flynn that the City would implement his plan. In December, the City conducted a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce regarding the South Boston Transportation Plan, wherein they also discussed their intention to implement Councilor Flynn’s policy to convert remaining areas of South Boston to “Resident Parking Only” 7 nights per week, for all areas that currently lack overnight restrictions.
“In the final analysis, it is no longer tenable for the absence of an updated seven nights per week ‘Resident Parking Only’ policy for areas of South Boston that still lack one, and the consistent enforcement it requires,” said Councilor Flynn. “I understand that not everyone will agree with my proposal, and the need for the City to also explore caregiver passes and visitor zones; however, the status quo is simply unacceptable.”
Proposal to Transform Boston High School into Affordable Senior Housing Wins 2025 Housing Copetition
Aproposal to convert the historic South Boston High School into a vibrant intergenerational community for low-income seniors won the first-place prize in the 25th Annual Affordable Housing Development Competition.
The competition drew seven entries from groups of graduate students interested in architecture, real estate, planning, finance, and policy who teamed up with local affordable housing organizations.
The winning proposal, The Mosaic, was submitted by a student team from Harvard University, MIT, and Wentworth Institute of Technology, in collaboration with South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation, Davis Square Architects, and finance mentor David Aiken.
to a range of services including programming like yoga, computer classes, and guest lecturers.
The initiative aims to create 70 one-bedroom units, and 13 twobedroom units, six of which are designated for seniors with live-in caregivers and seven for seniors caring for children. The Mosaic incorporates residential community spaces including a rooftop garden, library, games and arts room, fitness center, and large multipurpose space. Residents would have access
T“At the core of The Mosaic’s mission is a belief that aging should not imply isolation or boredom,” according to the team’s proposal.
The winning team was awarded the $10,000 first-place prize.
“Over the past 25 years, more than 1,200 students from over 20 colleges and universities have participated in the competition. In partnership with development
partners, they have submitted 150 affordable housing development proposals. It’s been an incredible experience to offer students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world affordable housing development,” said Kenneth Willis, senior vice president, director of housing and community investment at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBank Boston). “This competition would not be as successful as it has been without the
sponsors and mentors who devote their time and resources each year.”
The competition was sponsored by FHLBank Boston, Boston Society for Architecture, CohnReznick, Kuehn Charitable Foundation, ICON Architecture Inc., and Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association.
Awards were also presented for:
Second place: Workforce Modu-Lodge provides a flexible mix of modular-construction singleroom occupancy units, studios, and two-bedroom units in Jay, Vermont for seasonal and year-round workers in the hospitality industry. The team included students from Harvard University, MIT, and University of Massachusetts at Amherst who collaborated with RuralEdge.
Third place: Eva Mondon Commons which transforms a half-acre lot in rural Putney, Vermont into six affordable homeownership units. The development proposal was driven by students from Clark University, Harvard University, and University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in collaboration with Windham & Windsor Housing Trust.
City Of Boston Kicks Off Free Summer Fitness Series
he Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) are pleased to announce the 2025 Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The series offers 25 free weekly classes both virtually and in City of Boston parks from May 4 to August 30, 2025.
The 2025 Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series is being launched with a kick-off event at Christopher Columbus Park in the North End on Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m., featuring
free Bota Fogo Dance Fitness and Yoga plus fun giveaways.
“The kickoff of the free Summer Fitness Series offers all Boston residents the chance to enjoy a wide array of activities in our parks,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Thank you to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Boston Public Health Commission for your partnership giving us all the opportunity to engage with our parks in a fun and healthy way.”
The series offers a wide range of classes, including Yoga, Chair Yoga, HIIT, ZUMBA®, Kick It By
Eliza®, Walking Group, Strength and Balance, Line Dancing, Barre Fusion, and Latin Fusion Dance. The program is tailored to the interests of residents and participants, including age-friendly classes for families, older adults, and those new to fitness classes. For more information and a link to the full schedule, visit boston.gov/fitness.
“The Summer Fitness Series is a free and accessible opportunity for residents of all ages to enjoy Boston’s great parks while being active and improving their health and well-being,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston.
“Strategies like the Summer Fitness Series help reduce the risk of chronic disease and are an important part of our city-wide population health equity agenda, Live Long and Well. By improving access to safe spaces where everyone can engage in physical activity, we are ensuring that Boston is a city where all residents can thrive.” For up to date information, including weather-related cancellations for outdoor fitness classes, visit Boston.gov/Parks, call 617-635-4505 and follow our social channels @bostonparksdept on X, Facebook, Instagram, and @parks.boston.gov on Bluesky.
Village Vibes!
Village Vibes, a community event organized by the Mayor’s Community Safety Team, was held at the Condon School this afternoon. The event brought together local organizations and City departments to make sure residents are in the know — whether it’s speed bumps or summer camps, resources or upcoming events. Guests were treated to tunes, pizza, games, and more on a beautiful afternoon.
Congratulations on Making First Holy Communion
Congratulations to all 80 second grade students in the Parish Religious Education Program and South Boston Catholic Academy on making their First
Holy Communion that was celebrated on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Gate of Heaven Church.
Father Robert Casey, the Pastor; along with Fr. Peter Schirripa, Parochial Vicar; and Monsignor
Liam Bergin, Priest Assistant in Residence concelebrated at this Mass. A Special Thank you to the 2nd grader teachers...Ms. Kerry Buckley, Ms. Ann Marie Buckley, Ms. Megan Leslie, Ms. Courtney
Sudhalter and Ms. Ciara Rushe for helping to prepare the children for this Sacrament. May God Bless all these wonderful children and their families. We also wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day!
