Holiday tree lighting

The BCA and South End Business Alliance are hosting the annual Tree Lighting on the BCA plaza this Saturday, December 5th. Festivities start at 3pm. The event will feature “Families Connect at the BCA an afternoon of workshops that foster creativity, self-expression and artistic development in a fun and nurturing environment.”, as well as several performances, and the traditional visit by the Mayor and the big S. The event is free and open to all.

For more information, visit the SEBA Web Site

Trader Joes in the South End?

The Herald reports that GTI is working to put a Trader Joe's store in the old teolley barn warehouse on Harrison (the building where the South End Market is held).

Article (Herald article go off-line after a week, so the link is only good for a short time)

S End Cleanup Postponed

Due to the impending rain, the South End clenaup has been postponed until November 21.

Original blog post on cleanup

Recycling notes

The latest Boston Recycle More newsletter is now on line. We'd like to highlight some recycling news from the newsletter, and from our regular meetings with DPW.

• Since we no longer have to separate paper from other recycling, recycling rates have skyrocketed. In other neighborhoods, just as they have in the South End.



• If you live on a drivable alley (Dwight st) or live near an alley entrance, the city will give you a large recycle bin-on-wheels. (picture in the newsletter). Call the city to get one delivered.



• If you have another covered bin you’d like to use for recycling, call the city and ask for an “official” recycle sticker you can put on the bin to indicated it contains recyclables and not trash.



• ESNA and the city continue to encourage the use of clear plastic bags for recycling (if you have no space for a wheeled cart). The city is phasing out the ‘standard’ blue bins. They tend to get knocked & blown over easily and scatter paper and recyclables all over the street. Eventually the blue bins will go away (but you can keep your blue bin in the house)



• Cardboard boxes: They must be broken down and folded flat. If they are still assembled, recycling will NOT take them. They will assume the box wither a) contains styrofoam, which we do not recycle or b) it contains trash, which is trash. They will not look in each box – they will just take it as trash rather than recycle it. So please, break down your boxes and lie them flat under your recycling bag(s).



• TVs and computer monitors cannot be recycled or put out with trash. Call the city and arrange a pick-up time. You can leave it curbside on the day of the arranged pick-up time.



• We will continue to ask for recycling pickup on both trash days. Keep asking for it and we’ll keep pestering the city, and can hopefully get recycling pick-up both days in the future.

Remember you can keep your recycling in any kind of bin(s) in the home, and then collect it into a clear bag on recycling day. Or, just buy a second container for your home, line it with the clear bags and keep it near your household trash, so you can separate on the fly and just collect the clear bag to take to the trash. Just remember to not put 5-cent deposit cans and bottles into the trash or the clear recycle bags – the street collectors will tear the bags to get to the cans and make a mess on the street.

City recycling pages: http://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/recycling/default.asp
Phone number for Recycling & Trash issues: 617.635.4500

Taylor tree removal

A tree in Taylor Park (Taylor & Milford) has been determined to be too close to a home nad is causing structural issues. The tree in the rear of the park marked with orange tape will be removed by the BRA (the owner of the land). There will be a meeting W, 11/18, 6pm in the park for more information. The text of the BRA flier is below

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The Boston Redevelopment Authority (“BRA”) is the owner of parcel ID # 030581000 located at #14 Taylor Street in the South End section of Boston

A large Alianthus tree that is growing on the BRA parcel is causing potential foundation damage to the immediate Homeowner located at 247 Shawmut Avenue. The homeowner retained the services of Rene Mugnier Associates- Structural Engineers whom have inspected the site and documented the necessity that this tree needs to be removed. A Massachusetts certified arborist has been retained by the BRA to make an opinion about the condition of the tree and its impact to adjacent foundation

It is the professional opinion of the Certified Arborist from Royer Tree Service Inc. as well as the Engineer from Mugnier Associates to remove the tree immediately preventing any further root damage caused to the foundation wall of the adjacent Homeowner.

An on- site meeting has been scheduled for the evening of Wednesday November 18th at 6:00 pm sharp. An orange tape has been tied around the tree in question

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the BRA’s Asset Management Department Project Manager Fran Collins at 617-918-6232.

South End cleanup this weekend

A reminder that South End cleanup is this weekend - Saturday, November 14th.

This is similar to the Springtime Boston Shines effort, but on a smaller scale. While Eight Streets doesn’t organize a neighborhood-wide cleanup, we encourage everyone to get out and cleanup in front of their homes. Ever little bit makes our neighborhood cleaner.

If any street or group of residents wants to hold their own mini-cleanup that day, let me know ASAP and I’ll let the city know so they can have extra supplies on hands. Rakes, brooms, shovels and garbage bags are made available at the BCA plaza from 9am-noon, but if you don’t let me know you’ll be cleaning up, they may be short on supplies.

Street sweepers will be around on Saturday, but there will be no special towing. DPW will be making trash pickups that day. Have anything to pick up out by 11am; preferably at a corner where DPW can spot it easily.

Yard Waste

Yard wastes (Leaves, etc) are now picked up on Recycle Day. Place yard waste curbside by 7am on recycle day (Tuesday for ESNA). Yard waste must be in Paper Bags or Open Barrels (Yard waste in garbage bags will be taken away as trash). Yard waste will be picked up in this manner every Tuesday through December 4th (Dec 1 last ESNA yard waste pickup).

November business meeting

VOTE VOTE VOTE.

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday!!! The elections for Mayor and City Councilor-at-Large are big races this year. We vote at Cathedral High School, corner of Washington and Waltham. We're Ward 3, Precinct 7. Polls open 7am-8pm. See the City Election page for ballot and more info. http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/

The Wednesday after, Nov 3rd brings us our November meeting. Meeting will be at our regular location at Boston ballet 5th floor board room; from 6:30-8:30

Usual meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.

7-8:30 - Business meeting

Agenda includes:

- Update on Coppa. Construciton is in full swing, and will likely open within the month. Get an update on progress and more details on their business. This is an update only, with no votable business.

- 56 Dwight st - seeks support to add two decks and an oriel on the side of the building. There will be a vote.

- City services updates - Some information from our occasional meeting with DPW.

Hope to see you all there Wednesday, and of course - VOTE on Tuesday!

- John Mc