Our May 2 clean-up added 10 new names to our list and got people out on a great day. Many suggestions were offered for the next event. If you’d like to work on the next event, please email me at info@chestersquareassociation.org
Chester Park residents and friends are needed to plan/organize care for plantings, fences, fountains, etc. It was also noted the grass is in poor condition. If you’d like to work with your neighbors on the Park, please comment or email me at info@chestersquareassociation.org
We’re working with the Huntington YMCA to plan an event for kids on Public Alley 804. Thanks to Jordan Deasy of the Mayors Office, we have new street signs for this horseshoe-shaped alley off Northampton St, which had been difficult for police to locate.
Traffic noise is an issue for residents of Mass Ave (speed, sirens, motorcycles), as well as Northampton St (trucks, speed). We’ll continue to work with Claremont neighborhood and will look for collaboration with Worcester neighborhood, the South End Forum and the City to find ways to calm traffic. Boston Transportation Dept has told us they will do a traffic study on Northampton St.
We talked about our name and whether we might agree on a short form for common use – easy to say and remember – and fun, perhaps. Our proper name is Chester Square Area Neighborhood Association. No agreement on the need for a “nickname” at this point, but your president tires of speaking/typing these 14 syllables. Please comment or email your ideas to info@chestersquareassociation.org.
We voted to support the Joseph McAllaster House in their application for a lodging license and look forward to working with their residents for mutual benefit.
South End Forum is working to identify curb space that is currently not restricted specifically as Resident or Visitor. Do you have trouble finding parking for yourself or for visitors? If you’re willing to share your experience, please post a comment or email info@chestersquareassociation.org.
Darryl’s Bar & Kitchen has proposed an outdoor café for the sidewalk at the corner of Northampton St & Columbus Ave. You can hear about their proposal and voice your thoughts at a meeting Thursday at 6:30pm at Darryl’s.
Chester Square Neighbors 
Thanks for the May Update. I too am concerned about the trees and grass in Chester Park. We’re in a pretty serious drought and the sprinkler system hasn’t been turned on yet. I’ve been regularly watering a few of the plants, but I’m no longer watering any of the smaller trees that I tended in previous years.
However, the bigger problem is one of design, soil composition and care. When the park was redesigned, the contractor made some big mistakes with design, but it also used cheap soil that didn’t/doesn’t promote proper water infiltration and percolation. This has been a problem thoughout the city for many years now and the city’s Parks Dpt has never really addressed it.
Once planted, it doesn’t then take ownership and care for plants and trees. For example, many of the trees along Boylston Street in and around Copley Square were just replaced (that makes 4 times in the past 5 years).
In the short term, we could ask the Park’s Dept to activate the sprinklers (making sure they aren’t aimed into the street as has so often been the case). But a longer term agenda might be to address soil infiltration and park design changes that will promote better water uptake (and water conservation too).
Thanks for your attention,
Mitch Geer