Co-chairs: Dianne Lescinskas, Jennifer Deabler
Minutes: Doreen Miller
Guest Officials: Ryan Woods – Parks Department; Julie Ryan, – Councilor Baker’s Office
Number in Attendance: 17
Updates on Security at McConnell Park (Ryan Woods)
- Jurisdiction clarification: The city is responsible for the parking lot at McConnell, the three fields, the play structures and the sloped hill leading to Bayside Street. DCR has jurisdiction over all the rest, including the boardwalk and beaches. Both are committed to working together to address and solve problems.
- Rep. Dan Hunt had informed us that the engineers have been out to the parking lot twice and that a contract has been put out. We should have updates by the end of next week.
- Sen. Nick Collins has reached out to the Parks Department on the placement of the gate.
- The parking lot lights are on all night. Parks department is open to the idea of leaving the field lights on all night as they are shoebox lights that won’t shine into adjacent homes.
- Sen. Collins texted that officials agree the gate at McConnell is a top priority due to safety concerns and disruption.
- Permanent cameras have been installed in the parking lots at McConnell; three cover the front parking lot. DCR has also installed permanent cameras in the back lot. These recordings are not monitored but are sent to the police and can be reviewed later for any reported problems.
- Questions and Concerns include:
- Will placing the gate further in towards the yacht club only serve to push the problem forward into the front lots? This will be addressed as the need arises.
- Will the gate be closed at all times or open during the day for overflow parking and closed at night? This has yet to be determined.
- How will cars exit the lot – simply by pulling up to a motion detector or by putting in a card to leave? This has yet to be determined.
- Ryan will make sure to raise our questions and concerns to the appropriate parties.
- Ryan has promised to get us the email of Bill Hickey from Mass Parks who is responsible for trash and maintenance issues.
Updates on the Savin Hill Courts
- An added low rim basketball hoop has been approved and is scheduled to be installed in September. This will be placed on the side for the younger kids to use. The full court remains for now.
- Neighbors voiced their concerns about safety and quality of life issues at the park including:
- Loud music
- Foul Language
- Open use of drugs and pot smoking
- Dogs chained up
- Public urination
- Open cups of questionable substances left on sidewalks
- Trash everywhere
- Everyone is urged to report issues to 311 – as it documents the issues and is a work order/task flow system. If an issue is not resolved in three days, it gets top priority.
- Savin Hill courts have the earliest time for lights out in the city – 9 PM. If people want to have an even earlier shut off time, say 8 PM, or return to a dawn to dusk park with no lights at all, please email your request to Ryan Woods with a cc to Julie Ryan: Ryan.Woods@boston.gov , Julie.Ryan@boston.gov We need a united front to affect positive changes.
- All the courts are slated for major renovation. Be sure to get the new city councilor to commit to getting this into the fiscal budget.
- Once the renovation has been budgeted, the community process will commence, at which point residents will have ample opportunity to voice their concerns and vision for what we would like to see in this area – high rim/low rim or eliminating the basketball court all together, pickle ball courts, hockey courts, added tennis courts, passive park activities, etc.
Update on Transportation and Traffic Safety Issues
- Boston Transportation is not responsible for sidewalks or crosswalks. This is a Public Works issue. BTD works together with Public Works on crosswalks – BTD paints the zebra stripes, and Public Works installs the ramps.
- Crosswalks cannot be installed if there are no real sidewalks.
- The installation of new sidewalks needs to be placed into the capital budget, which has currently been placed on hold due to a federal lawsuit against Boston for ADA ramps not being up to code.
- Councilor Baker’s office has been working on this issue to have real sidewalks installed along the park. He expects to get an update on installing sidewalks by the end of tomorrow, Wednesday, July 19. He will keep us informed.
- As for the installation of speed humps, until a community engagement specialist is hired to address this, there will be no further public meetings.
- One resident requested better (bigger?) weight limit signage for trucks coming into the neighborhood via Old Colony Terrace as she has noticed many more heavy trucks coming in.
- Residents would like to see city and state “Children at Play” signage posted at the Savin Hill Courts and McConnell Park.
Slow Down for Savin Hill – Proposed Campaign (Jake W)
- Jake made a presentation for organizing our community to get the attention and response from public officials. It includes:
- A problem statement that grabs attention and succinctly states the issue.
- Ways for community to get involved and make calls to action to improve safety.
- Methods to engage more neighbors.
- Questions to Consider include:
- How do we channel the safety committee interest into more action?
- How do we reinforce basic safety measures with neighbors and visitors?
- How do we make some noise?
- What’s a good next step to drive community engagement so that if we aren’t heard, we have people signed up to do more?
- How do we lay the groundwork for future campaigns, lobbying politicians, etc?
- We can begin by posting flyers throughout the neighborhood and on social media. Here is a sample idea of the flyer. Suggestions are welcome.
- Create a website that will reinforce campaign basics, enable interested parties to engage at a deeper level, and give updates on progress to maintain momentum. The site will be divided into three major sections:
- Problem statement – on speeding, lack of crosswalks, poor maintenance, partying at our local parks, etc.
- Ways to Help
- Progress to Date – with some recent “wins” ready to be posted.
- Proposed Next Steps with Target Dates
- Review Sign Content – 7/21 target
- Might need a meeting to agree on final edits.
- Have lawn signs, too.
- Have larger metal signs for the parks and the beach.
- Review and agree to website content – 7/21 target
- add additional 311 items to website
- Print weatherproof signs – 7/28 target
- CSHCA E-Board can most likely vote to fund this project when it meets in August.
- Launch website and signs – 8/4 target
- Present to CSHCA E-Board in August (2nd Tuesday), and to the general membership in September.
- Review Sign Content – 7/21 target
- Jake will send out a draft for this campaign for edits and suggestions to the Safety Committee members, anyone who put their email in the chat, and residents who signed in at the July 7 meeting at the basketball courts.
- The Co-chairs will work directly with Jake on this campaign.
- For further information on this campaign, you can contact Jake at jwachman@gmail.com
The next Safety Committee meeting will be in September.