SBOL_11_17_2022

Safety Concerns Transportation Action Plan Engagement Process Begins

By Ginger DeShaney

The BPDA and Boston Transportation Department

kicked off the South Boston Transportation Action Plan (SBTAP) Monday night with an existing conditions report and vowing this is just the beginning of many engagement opportunities for residents.

“We are cognizant of the concerns and complaints that we’ve historically heard,” said Mark McGonagle, a BPDA community engagement manager. He cited things such as speeding, aggressive driving, crosswalk double threats (when one car stops for a pedestrian but a second car speeds around), not enough parking, too many resident parking permits, stickers, enforcement priorities, not enough seats on buses.

Upcoming engagement opportunities include a survey, focus groups, public meetings and workshops, and neighborhood pop-ups. Ninety-one people logged on to Monday’s Zoom call to hear the

report and air their concerns. SBTAP is evaluating transportation challenges and safety concerns in South Boston and focusing on proven strategies and people-first improvements to eliminate serious and fatal

traffic crashes in South Boston, according to the SBTAP website. The plan will recommend improvements that can be implemented immediately, within the next 15 years, and beyond.

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Safety Concerns

The action plan will:

• Implement strategies to eliminate serious and fatal traffic crashes

• Simplify intersections for all users

• Improve the transit network

• Expand the bike network

• Improve walkability

• Enhance the main street and neighborhood experiences

“We won’t be recommending solutions here tonight; eventually we will get there,” McGonagle said. “We hope that we’ve provided the appropriate data for us to be able to have an informed conversation and make some informed decisions on the best way for all of us to collectively move forward on our transportation priorities for the neighborhood of South Boston.”

The study area, according to Sam Roy, transportation planner at BPDA and the project manager for the action plan, extends from Old Colony Avenue to the west, Farragut Road to the east, Day Boulevard to the south, and First Street to the north.

The main concerns, gleaned from the community and 311 calls, are aggressive driving, double parking, speeding, and pedestrian safety.

Over the past five years, the highest number of crashes, and the most severe, occurred on primary corridors: Summer Street/L Street; Broadway; Dorchester Street; and Old Colony.

Theresa Carr, project manager for the existing conditions report on the consultant side, talked about the sidewalk network, accessibility issues, bikes, bus and rail transit, traffic volume, congestion, parking, and climate change. Some highlights are listed below, but to view the full recording of the meeting, see the link below.

“Crosswalks and curb ramps are the backbone of pedestrian networks,” Carr said. “In general, South Boston is a walkable neighborhood. Sidewalks are provided virtually everywhere.”

But the condition of those sidewalks and curb cuts presents challenges across the neighborhood, especially for people with mobility

challenges and those with strollers. While there are not many missing sidewalks, there are a lot of narrow sidewalks (less than 5 feet wide).

“The design of intersections and crosswalks can have a strong influence on how safe and comfortable it feels to cross the street as a pedestrian,” Carr said. “Crossings that are extremely long put pedestrians at greater risk of being hit by a car, especially if the intersection doesn’t have a traffic signal or other means for pedestrian safety.”

About 90% of the curb ramps in the study area are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Carr noted.

Regarding bicyclists, residential streets are generally lower stress; highest stress roads are the ones with higher speeds and high car and truck volumes and nothing to protect cyclists.

Carr pointed out there’s a strong demand for transit within the study area, noting long waits and crowded buses.

In general, the plan detected the most speeding on streets with wide travel lanes or with more than one lane in each direction. Congestionrelated problems were found along Old Colony and Andrew Square and near the Broadway T station.

Parking was also studied as part of this plan. A few interesting notes:

• There are 380 fire hydrants and 437 driveway curb cuts in the study area.

• During the day there are almost 10,600 parking spaces available. Close to 500 of those are displaced for street cleaning

between April and November.

• Overnight more than twothirds of spaces are restricted to residential permit holders with another 1,500 set aside for evening visitors spaces.

• There’s 13,500 active parking permits for 10,600 spaces.

“There’s a lot of information there but it’s important to our work,” Carr said.

Because of the changing climate, there is an increased risk of flooding in low-lying areas, such as Moakley Park toward Old Colony, the Seaport, and some T stations.

After the presentation, it was the residents’ turn to speak and the presenters were grateful to hear their concerns.

Some of those comments were about the following:

• Bike lanes and parking on Broadway

• The walk light at L and Broadway is not long enough to get across safely

• Surprise that no one reached out to the residents to hear what their issues were

• Frustration that residents weren’t invited to the action plan walk-throughs

• First Street can be somewhat of a freeway

• Seeking historical data on traffic broken down by the hour

• Development projects being greenlit without parking

• Best place for bike lanes is on quieter streets

• Dorchester Street at West Fourth Street is insanely crazy

• Shortage of car-charging ports

• How to get a bus stop moved back to its original spot (near Bell’s Market)

• L Street Bathhouse would be a great spot for Blue Bike

• Parking is definitely a pain point

• Babe Ruth Drive would be a great solution for parking

• What can be done to stop Seaport commuters from using South Boston as a cut-through to the highway

• Parking permits are issued for two years but leases run for one year

• Disallow people from leasing their parking spots

• G Street is really dangerous. What is the process to get speed bumps?

• Broadway is basically down to one lane

To take the community survey: https://survey. alchemer.com/s3/7074384/ SBTAP-Community-Survey For the project page and meeting recording: https://www.bostonplans. org/planning/planninginitiatives/south-bostontransportation-action-plan:

South Boston Chamber of Commerce Holiday Stroll Thursday, December 1st

The South Boston Chamber of Commerce and the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation are excited to once again make the Broadway business district and surrounding areas a festive place for the community to shop and dine locally during the holiday season.

The Holiday Stroll will take place on Thursday, Dec.1 from 4-6 p.m., kicking off a month of Shopping, Dining, and Splurging at our local businesses and restaurants!

The Stroll features Santa on an antique fire truck followed by a Classic Cadillac convertible with up-and-coming pop singers Carly Underwood and Tyler Levs of MusicBall Entertainment. More than 50 participating businesses will be offering incredible savings on Dec. 1; look for the big red bow on their storefronts.

Santa will make four stops along East and West Broadway (there will be hot chocolate and treats at each stop):

4:00 p.m. -- Medal of Honor Park 4:30 p.m. -- Library on East Broadway 5:00 p.m. -- West Broadway Municipal Parking Lot 5:30 p.m. -- Corner of C Street and West Broadway

The Original Dickens Carolers will be strolling along East Broadway (4-6 p.m.) and West Broadway (5-7 p.m.). And free Pedicab rides will be available from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to whisk customers to their favorite establishments. Visit SouthBostonChamber.org/shop-local for a list of participating businesses and their hours. Follow the Chamber on social media to stay up to date!

Facebook – SouthBostonChamberofCommerce Instagram -- @SouthBosChamber

We are grateful to our sponsors (to date):

Massachusetts Port Authority Stapleton Floral

City of Boston Credit Union Boston Sparks Association HarborOne Bank Cedarwood Development Oxford Properties Dedham Savings

Learning Walks

Harborwalk Group Gets Grant to Install Infor mational Signs at Castle Island

By Ginger DeShaney

With a $75,000 grant from the city of Boston’s Community Preservation Act, Friends of the Boston Harborwalk has installed eight interpretive signs around Castle Island and Pleasure Bay.

The signs include information about the history of the site, the lagoon, harbor vessels, and even birds, said Liz Nelson Weaver, a volunteer with the Friends group.

“We had a sense going into the project of what the really important stories were to tell at Castle Island and Pleasure Bay,” said Liz, who wrote the grant application. “And we always wanted it to be a mix. We didn’t want it to be just maritime industry stories.”

There are so many other things that have happened along the waterfront or that are connected to the waterfront, she said, that it’s a rich mix of stories.

“This marks the first time anything will be in place capturing the history and present-day amazingness of this very special place,” Liz said.

Friends of the Boston Harborwalk received a Boston CPA grant in 2021 to cover the cost of the design, manufacture, and installation of the signs. Boston Harbor Now, a financial partner with the Friends

group, handled the grant money.

The signage committee of the Friends of the Boston Harborwalk is an all-volunteer group that has a deep interest in history, ecology, and various other topics, said Liz, who is retired but always had careers in writing and development. The committee often works in partnership with historians and signage is always reviewed by historians before production. One of the new signs is about the Native American presence on the islands so the committee worked with the Massachusett Tribal Council.

The signage committee – Liz, Jan Engelman, Steve Landrigan, and Dan Bailey – does all the research and writing and identifies the images pro bono.

The Friends of the Boston Harborwalk creates a master plan for each neighborhood after doing a deep dive into their history. The

group gets a sense of which stories should be told where … “You’re here; this is what happened here,” Liz said.

Since early 2017, the Friends group has installed 42 signs.

Liz said it’s been really interesting watching people stop and read the signs. “I almost always walk up to them and identify myself and explain our connection to it. People are just really enthusiastic. They do stop, they do read them. Most people who live here and the many, many visitors to the area, they’re just very engaged.”

Liz said it was important that the Harborwalk, which is 43 miles long, be branded with signage that is consistent in the quality of information and the design.

“So we just felt really strongly –and we talked to the BPDA folks about it – that there should be a consistent look for the signs,” she said, and a sense that this is all the same space.

“It just felt really important to connect people with that piece of the city’s history and to engage them in the harbor,” Liz said. “We’re trying to bring all that to life.”

Each sign has a QR code sticker that connects to a companion website, where there is Spanish translation as well as audio recordings done in partnership with the Perkins School for the Blind.

Two years ago, Friends of the Harborwalk started gathering letters of support for the grant application, getting great response from City Councilors Ed Flynn and Michael Flaherty, the Castle Island Association, the South Boston Historical Society, DCR, other groups, and residents.

“It’s such a beautiful place,” said Liz. “It’s such a popular place that it just felt like a really important spot in which to engage people with the past and the present.”

Open Door Arts Joins the Cultural Equity Incubator in Fort Point

by Rick Winterson

Even though South Boston is (still) the most rapidly growing area in the City of Boston, it’s always a pleasure to welcome new enterprises and endeavors here. We extend that welcome to Open Door Arts, who recently relocated to Fort Point in the Midway Artist Studios at 15 Channel Center. Open Door Arts increases participation in all the arts by people with disabilities, thus strengthening our shared culture. And while simply stated, that service presents a real challenge: It requires dedication, original thinking, and significant human efforts. There is certainly a positive note and perhaps some justifiable neighborhood pride in the fact that Open Door Arts relocated here. Why did Open Door Arts come to South Boston? Briefly, moving to South Boston and occupying a new, flexible space in the Midway Artist Studios simply made sense for them.

Nicole Agois Hurel is the Managing Director of Open Door Arts, which itself is an affiliate of the Seven Hills Foundation. Last week, she organized an opening event to mark the relocation

of her organization that we are reporting on here. We got to meet Mehdi Raoufi, their new Director of School Programs, and Moe Finnerty, the newest appointee to the Advisory Board of Open Door Arts. Marian Brown, the Founder of Arts Connect International, was a prominent guest.

After the event, we spoke with Elaine Fallon, also a member of the Open Door Arts Advisory Board. Fallon told us, “One of the major offerings of Open Door Arts is a program called ‘Cool Schools’ in the Boston Public Schools. This program is put forth by a cadre of teaching artists, who go into the classrooms to work with all of the students, some with disabilities, and help train the teachers to do the same.” She informed us this had been done at the Condon School on D Street in the not-toodistant past, and that the Seven Hills Foundation has a small gallery that exhibits art created by persons with disabilities. At the end of the interview, Fallon stated, “(Open Door Arts) is a unique, non-profit organization, operating with a small staff but touching the lives of many …”

In addition, there’s another aspect of Open Door Arts’ new

location that’s worth mentioning. The accommodation they now occupy in Suite 103 at their Midway Artist Studios locale is a shared workspace – shared with a partnership totaling 13 collective members, which is called the “Cultural Equity Incubator” (CEI), a paradigm shift in creative collaboration and justice. The 13 members are Abilities Dance, Art in the Antilles, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Arts Connect International, the Cultural Equity Incubator (itself), Danza Organica, Digital Soup, Dunamis, MASSCreative, Midday Movement Series, The Flavor

Continues, StageSource, and most recently, Open Door Arts.

As a final note, Open Door Arts is seeking dedicated and creative Teaching Artists to support their efforts with students – both with and without disabilities – in the Boston Public Schools during the current school year. They’ll be hiring for music, visual arts, and drama/storytelling positions. Get in touch to find out more. You’ll be joining an organization that makes a real impact. In the past, Open Door Arts has served 1,700 students, 75 artists with disabilities, and 400 educators and cultural leaders.

Msgr. Thomas J. McDonnell and Frank Kelley Thanksgiving Dinner

Please call 857-318-7810 if you would like a meal delivered to your home. Meals will be delivered on Wednesday, November 23rd between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Volunteers and delivery drivers should meet at St. Monica’s at 11:30 a.m.

Check can be made payable to: South Boston Seaport Collaborative (memo: Holiday Dinner)

Please mail or deliver checks to: Deja Brew 704 East Broadway South Boston, MA 02127

Welcome from Moe, Nicole, two Open Door friends, and Junior the service dog.

Snowport’s Holiday Market Now Open

by Rick Winterson

Boston Seaport by WS Development opened their Snowport extravaganza the 11th, which also happened to be Veterans Day – a Holiday of its own, of course. This is the fourth time that Snowport itself has “happened”, and after its debut in 2021, this year of 2022 is the “return engagement” of The Holiday Market section of Snowport.

The Holiday Market in Snowport has doubled in size this year. More than 120 vendors, 20 outdoor food and beverage offerings, and several eyecatching displays now occupy a full acre of what used to be empty space at the corner of Pier 4 and Seaport Boulevards. And by all means, do use that particular entrance to Snowport – it’s a sight to see! There are five long outdoor aisleways in The Holiday Market and four rows that crisscross them to walk along – every one of them filled with unique shops. And you don’t have to window shop – every single thing for sale can be viewed close up in the Market’s many, many shops. Take long, close looks at the sights such as the Mistletoe Arch, Present Place, and the Wishing Wall, which is a huge chalkboard where you can leave

your gift list and your sentiments as well! And keep a watchful eye out for Betty the Yeti.

It’s virtually impossible to list every single item and gift on offer – many thousands of them. The literature on The Holiday Market lists gifts of art, accessories, décor, gourmet treats, jewelry, and more. We really liked The Irish Spirit run by cheerful Joe from Kerry. His cable knits are great and reasonably priced. The carved and tastefully finished utensils of olivewood at Natural Olivewood are very beautiful. Be sure to check out the sculptures at African Authentic. And gaze upon the mounted butterflies at

Happy Cactus as well, especially the brilliant blue morphos

You might plan to spend much of your Holiday shopping day at Snowport. In addition to 120+ shops, you can experience varied dining and drinking pleasures, inside or outside the huge tent inscribed with “Drink, Eat & Grab a Seat”. The food area is anchored by Tuscan Kitchen, but also offers New England seafood, spicy jerked chicken, crepes a la France, pierogies, tacos, and (of course) pizza Neapolitan, along with many other dishes and drinks.

The Tree Market, which is an integral part of Snowport’s

The Holiday Market, will open tomorrow, Friday, November 18, and it will remain open through Christmas Eve, December 24 –seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. You can purchase a tree and then bale and load it onto your own car. Delivery by bicycle is also available with EverGreen Delivery. The Tree Market will offer Christmas wreaths, tree stands, and tree lights, too.

Hours The Holiday Market is open: MON-THU/3 to 8pm; FRI-SAT/11am to 9pm; SUN/11am to 8pm. Log onto BostonSeaport.XYZ/Snowport for dates of special events and details about Snowport.

Snowport’s Holiday Market(Continued)

Celebrating Our Veterans

morning gathering and celebration highlighted by a Parade. This year of 2022 was no exception.

by Rick Winterson

Veterans Day was a nice autumn day that led into a Holiday weekend. The Fallen Heroes Memorial in the South Boston’s Seaport District stood tall. It was surrounded by hundreds of American flags as we paid tribute to the Armed Forces past and present.

The Thomas J. Fitzgerald Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 561, located on East Fourth Street, is commonly referred to as “the Fitzy Post” or perhaps just “561”. Every Veterans Day, the Post holds a

Around 9 a.m., a large group of veterans, their families, and their friends checked in at Post 561 for coffee and pastry snacks. There was an audible buzz from the crowd, both inside and outside. Soon, this year’s Parade began to form up along Fourth. Led by Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Corey Nguyen, its Battalion Commander, South Boston High School’s award-winning U.S. Army JROTC contingent (known informally as “Knights”) fell into ranks. Honor Guards in the battalion bore banners identifying themselves and the Fitzgerald VFW Post 561, as well as the American colors along with a banner stating their membership in the National Honor Society. Lt. Col. Anthony Hinson and Sgt. George Machado (both retired career military men) have created a remarkable JROTC unit up at the High School.

Fire Commissioner Paul Burke led off the Parade. Many elected officials were on hand – state Sen. Nick Collins, state Rep. David Biele, City Council President Ed Flynn, City Councilor-at-large Michael

Flaherty, and Mayor Michelle Wu among them. Military guests included Brig. Gen. Michael Cornell (USAF), Cmdr. Matt Mothander (USCG), and Lt. Col. Dave Falvey (USA). Post 561 members, families, and many friends marched, along with a large contingent of Girls Scouts of America and Brownies.

The Parade disbanded at St. Brigid Church, where Fr. Joseph White said a Veterans Mass. He asked for blessings especially on those veterans.

The congregation sang “America the Beautiful”; “Taps” was sounded as the Mass ended. A sumptuous breakfast in St. Brigid’s Hall followed. During the breakfast, Ed Flynn introduced many of the locally prominent guests who had attended. They spoke of their own memories about veterans. One of the most memorable sights was seeing the Hon. Ray Flynn, Mayor of Boston for several years, conversing with current Mayor Michelle Wu, who is nearing completion of her first year in office.

The Hon. Ray Flynn swaps stories with current Mayor Michelle Wu.

City Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty, Fire Commissioner Paul Burke, State Sen. Nick Collins on Veterans Day.

SBCA News

Grades 5 & 6 visit the Commonwealth Museum

The South Boston Catholic Academy students in grades 5 and 6 visited the Commonwealth Museum. This museum preserves historical and legal records of Massachusetts for its citizens. The Archives operates the Commonwealth Museum to educate and display some of its collections of important documents about state and national history. The main permanent exhibit is entitled “The Massachusetts Experiment in Democracy: 1620–Today”, and traces the Massachusetts experience through the Colonial, Revolutionary, Federal, and 19th century reform periods. The museum also features changing exhibits of state history from its collections. As you can see from the photos, our students enjoyed learning about our state’s history and reenacting some of the moments in Massachusetts history. Thank you to the terrific staff at this impressive museum and to all who helped to make this visit possible for our 5th and 6th graders at SBCA. “The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.”Theodore Roosevelt.

Martin’s Park Holiday Lighting Celebration

children’s celebration

be held on Saturday, November 26, at 4 p.m. at  the Smith Family Waterfront in the Seaport District and Fort Point neighborhood when the Friends of Martin’s Park and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department host the second annual holiday lighting of the ship in Martin’s Park.

Located at 64 Sleeper Street on the South Boston Waterfront and visible from the Northern Avenue Bridge, Martin’s Park at the Smith Family Waterfront is a climateresilient park built in memory of eight-year-old Martin W. Richard, the youngest victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The accessible park provides play opportunities for children, families, and visitors of all abilities. The wooden play ship is the centerpiece of the space that will be lit for the holidays.

Martin’s Park will be

transformed into a beautiful holiday display when the ship, surrounding beach fencing, and pedestrian bridge are illuminated with over 1,500 feet of blue and white tube lights. WS Development is a key sponsor supporting this year’s event as well as the holiday lights on Martin’s Ship. Visitors are encouraged to head inside

the park for the celebration sponsored by the Friends of Martin’s Park and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department.

Santa will arrive by boat with the Boston Police Harbor Unit at the Harborwalk and enter the Park to switch on the lights. Entertainment will be provided by acappella group Ball In The

House performing a selection of holiday classics, along with special guest, the Seaport’s own Betty the Yeti. Hot cocoa will be provided by Tuscan Kitchen,  Caffe Nero and Dunkin’., and with donation, attendees will have the opportunity to take home a customized special souvenir of the second annual event while supplies last.

Date November 09 2022

Paul J Gannon, Esq. Law Office of Paul J Gannon P.C PO Box E46 82 West Broadway Boston, MA 02127 MPC 584 (5/28/21)

tt

DIVORCE SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION AND MAILING

DIVORCE SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION AND MAILING

To the Defendant

Docket No. SU21D1562DR vs.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court

Suffolk Probate and Family Court 24 New Chardon Street Boston, MA02114

The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown

The Complaint is on file at the Court.

An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411.

You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: Cindy Nguyen 25 James Oniel St apt 102 South Boston, MA 02127-0003

your answer, if any, on or before 12/01/2022. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court.

WITNESS, Hon. Brian J. Dunn, First Justice of this Court. Date: September 13, 2022 CJ-D 112a (11/09)

WITNESS,

Brian J. Dunn, First Justice of this Court.

Felix D Arroyo, Register of Probate

Cindy Nguyen

Tuan Hoang Nguyen