Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Let the Towing Begin!

April Fool’s Day has come and gone but if you’re not reading street signs, the joke’s on you. April is when the city picks up where they left off in November with street cleaning and the tow trucks were out in force this morning. We’re talking flatbeds so they can tow more than one car per truck.

As I watched the tow trucks pull away on Centre Street, I couldn’t help but feel a smidge of glee on behalf of my west-of-Highland Street neighbors. They’re squeezed by the influx of daily commuters who drive to the neighborhood, occupy much of the available street parking (RCC commuters take up the remainder), and then hop on the Orange Line at Roxbury Crossing.

Sorry Rozzie, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Milton. Getting towed sucks – it’s an awful waste of time and money. But if you parked on the wrong side of the street today, it’s time to pay up. Think of this financial contribution as a generous way of easing the city’s fiscal crisis: you’re adding more beans to the pot.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Common Ground

Colin breaks ground (re-using a shovel found on-site) in the Common Ground Community Garden on Cedar Street.


Seriously, Colin along with Liz, Rachel Shuler, and Jeff Klein spent the afternoon this past Saturday where they'd left off the week before: clearing brambles, saplings, and other vegetation out of the Common Ground soon-to-be garden.



Jon Ellertson, of Thornton Street since 1967, gardened this particular plot with other neighbors from 1968 until around 1980. At the time, the city owned the land which now belongs to BNAN. Apple trees had been planted in the garden at that time but they didn't survive. Ellertson hopes to plant more apple trees, if other gardeners agree, but in the meantime considers the garden a "nice community-building exercise".

Watch the progress of the garden here.