June business meeting

Warm weather arrives!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, June 4th, 6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet  (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

DIFFERENT ROOM - this month only we will be downstairs in Studio 1

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Committee reports
• Business focus: South End Errands
• Special Guest Speaker - South End Historical Society
• Open Member Discussion

Our business focus this week will be a new local concierge service South End Errands.

Our guest speaker this month will be Maryellen Hassell of the South End Historical Society.   Discussions will include the upcoming Garden and House tours.

A reminder - the Social Committee has set Friday June 13th as our next Stoop night, to take place on Waltham Street.   See the flier here.

This is our last business meeting until September.   Keep an eye on the blog for Summer ESNA Events!

Help support the neighborhood Association by becoming a member.  Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.  Members joining now will be valid through August 2015.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Our alleys

A big thank you to all who volunteered this weekend for the alley cleanup of the Hanson/Waltham alley, and for the individuals that gave the Waltham/UP alley a cleanup.   With this weekends' efforts, all of our alleys have now had some level of cleaning.

It's up to all of us to help keep our alleys in a clean state.

Aside from looking nice and being used to move things in and out of our homes, our alleys are important for our first responders.   During all our cleanups we've found that the alleys have become dumping grounds. Contractors using the alley to dispose of things they don't want to throw out, including soil they've dug up and decided to dump into the alleys. Residents using the alleys for storage of items, or as a place to throw out trash.   Added to that were fallen branches and blown-in trash that no one had ever cleaned up.

At best, the alleys end up looking messy.   At worst, they may come a day when police or fire respond to a call and can't get through to your home, or get injured trying to navigate debris in the dark while responding to a call.   Unkempt alleys can also give the impression that the area is not cared for, and overgrown trees and plants can make good hiding places for those with ill intent.


To keep our alleys clean and safe, we ask everyone to

• Clean the alley behind your own home regularly. 
• Trim low hanging tree branches and overgrown bushes that might keep the alley dark or provide hiding places for thieves.
• Do not throw trash into the alleys.  
• Do not store items in the alleys.   While it seems convenient, it clutters the alleys and can impede first responders
• Police ask that you add your house number to your rear gates, again so first responders can find your home should an emergency ever happen.
• The police also remind everyone with a gate do put a secure locking mechanism on the gate.  During all our alley walk-throughs, BPD was able to walk into almost half of the back yards due to gates not being locked or have an easily defeated gate latch.

If we all pitch in we can keep our alleys clean and safe.

Stoop Nights

Come out and meet your neighbors!!!

Postponed by the rain - Join us on Saturday night!

Join us on Dwight street on Saturday, May17th from 5:30-7pm for Stoop Night.

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This Friday Eight Streets is resurrecting an old tradition.  

In the days before Internet and big screen TVs and all our other distractions, many people used to spend evenings sitting on their front steps.  You enjoyed some nice evening weather, and got to say 'hi' to all
your neighbors as they came home from work or went out running errands.

Flash forward to the present, and you'll see very few stoop sitters, and we often don't even know the people living in our building never mind those next door to us.   We hope to start reversing this trend.

The ESNA social committee is bring the next social event right to your front door!

On Friday, Eight Streets will host a stoop night on Dwight Street.

• If you live on Dwight street, we ask that you turn off the computer and the TV and head outside!  Sit on your stoop from 6-7:30 and say Hi to all who walk by!

• If you live on our other streets, head over to Dwight!  Walk the street,  say hi, and stop and chat with a neighbor you've never met before.   Make some new friends, talk about neighborhood issues, and take a break form your hectic week to just sit and mingle for a bit.

To help inspire others, several Dwight residents have agreed to be 'host' stoops.  They will be stoop sitting for the entire time from 6-7:30  Just look for the balloons at 7, 26, 30, 31.5, 38 and 52 Dwight. Some hosts will have light refreshments to entice you.   If we get a good turnout, we'll continue Stoop Night throughout the summer visiting each of our streets!

Download this flier for more information - or print it out and post in your lobby so everyone in your building can participate.   For more information please contact Bernard.      Rain date is Saturday, May 17th from 5:30-7.

May Business Meeting

Happy Allergy Season!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, May 7th, 6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Deck @ 35 Hanson
• Elections
• Committee reports
• Business focus: Siena Farms
• Special Guest Speaker - John Sullivan of BWSC
• Open Member Discussion

Business this month includes 35 Hanson street seeking support for a rear parlor level deck.

Our business focus this week will be Siena Farms, purveyor of fresh produce and flowers on Waltham street.

Our guest speaker this month will be John Sullivan of Boston Water & Sewer.  He'll give a presentation on the history of Boston water, as well as some current and future projects.    Jim Steinkraus, BWSC General Council will also join us, to help answering any questions after the presentation.

ESNA business this month consists of our annual elections of your neighborhood officers, and committee reports, including several cleanup and social activities coming up, and our search of additional street captains.

A reminder that the Hanson/Waltham Alley Cleanup, and the Ringgold Park mulching is this Saturday, May 10th. so mark your calendars.   See more information here.


Help support the neighborhood Association by becoming a member.  Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

A Weekend of Cleanups

This weekend brings the annual Boston Shines cleanup to the South End, and several projects in our neighborhood.

On Saturday, May 10th the neighborhood has the following activities going on.

At 9:30 we continue our cleanup of Ringgold park.   By then the city should have delivered mulch outside the park.  We'll spend the morning mulching the various plant in the beds.  This will make the park look even better, keep the weeds down and keep plants form drying out over the summer.  We're also planning a plant sale for that morning - more information on that soon!

At around 9am Berkeley Community garden will also have another cleanup that morning, continuing their Spring Cleanup from last month.   Stop by the garden and give them a hand and meet our gardening neighbors.

At 8am our biggest effort will be another alley cleanup.  This year we will be cleaning up the alley between Hanson and Waltham streets.   Our security walk-through with BPD last month shows it would be a hazard to any first responders due to all the debris in the alley and the uneven ground due to dumping over the years.   We hope both neighbors and alley abutters will join us to take part in the alley cleanup.   Boston Shines will provide tools and bags, and will make a special pickup to remove this larger debris.  meet in Ringgold Park (and in the alley) to help out with this cleanup.

If you abut this alley and have personal property in the alley, please remove it before Saturday so it doesn't accidentally get cleaned out on Saturday.

A flier with alley cleanup details can be found here (pdf)

Hopefully you can take park in one of these cleanup efforts and help make our neighborhood shine!!   Even if you can only take some time to sweep and clean the sidewalk in front of your home, every little bit will help.

News from the Neighborhood

Some news from around the neighborhood

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Ringgold park gives a thanks to dedicated volunteer Munjeet Geyer: They are having their annual Spring Egg Hunt this Saturday, April 19th at 10 AM. If you can help fill eggs Friday and/or help hide them Saturday at 9 AM, that would be extremely helpful. Please email her at Munjeet@verizon.net to get involved!

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New Ringgold Summer Event! Volunteers needed!

The Friends of Ringgold Park is working with the Community Music Center of Boston on potentially including Ringgold Park as a site for a children's concert as part of CMCB's "Fete du Musique" on June 21. We are excited to offer a new type of programming in the park, after two consecutive summers of construction in the park. Please email ringgoldpark@verizon.net if you would like to get involved in this fun family event. 

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Milford and Dwight streets are on the list for repaving this year.   That is no guarantee that they will be paved (Dwight was on the list last year), but hopefully that will not only mean street paving, but full handicap reconstruction of all sidewalk intersections.

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New local business Rooster Mens Grooming Center is now open, but will have an Official ribbon cutting and social gathering on Tuesday, April 22 from 5:30-7:30pm.  Stop by to meet our new business and grab some light refreshments.

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Blackstone Community Center is having fundraiser.   More information here.

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Speaking of Blackstone, Councilor Wu's Small Business Tour is coming to the Blackstone Community Center next week

Permitting and Licensing Listening Tour with Councilor Wu April 24th

City Councilor Michelle Wu wants to hear from small business owners, advocates and residents about their experiences navigating the City's licensing and permitting process. The aim is to reform this process so that it is more efficient, streamlined and predictable for those seeking to do business in Boston. Please come have your voice heard  Thursday April 24th 9am-11am Blackstone Community Center at 50 W. Brookline Street RSVP to Councilor Wu's Office: 617-635-3115

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Spring Leaf and Yard Waste Collection
4 Weeks

April 28 - May 23 on your recycling day by 7:00am

Look Up Your Recycling Day

Place leaves, and yard debris in large paper leaf bags or open barrels labeled "yard waste" (no plastic bags). Yard Waste stickers for barrels are available by calling 617-635-4500 or placing an online service request (up to 2 stickers available per household). Yard waste will not be collected with trash.

Tie branches with string, 3' maximum length, 1" maximum diameter. Do not put branches in barrels.

Put barrels, bags and brances on the curb by 7:00am on your recycling day from April 28 throught May 23, 2014.  

Collecting leaf and yard waste for composting saves tax dollars, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and produces compost!

(Eight Streets recycles on Tuesdays)

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Cleanup & More Cleanup

Thanks for a great Cleanup!

We'd like to thank everyone who took part in the Ringgold park cleanup this past weekend.   We had a
great crowd and cleaned up a lot of winter debris - 40+ bags for parks to take away and compost.   it was great meeting all our neighbors, and the park looks ready for Spring.    During Boston Shines, may 10th, we'll be getting free mulch from the city, and meet back in the park to mulch around the plantings.

We have a bunch of photos on our Facebook page.

Thanks to

• All who participated, of course!
• Friends of Ringgold Park, for coordinating with the city
• Parks Department, for access to tools and for doing a special pickup to collect the bags of debris
• The Wholey Grain, for some great coffee to start our day!

We hope some of you want to become more involved in Ringgold Park.   A number of FoRP board members will be stepping down, and we'd like to get park neighbors to step forward and help out.   Please contact Michael if you're interested in joining the Friends, or would just like some more information.

Speaking of cleanups

Last month we went on an alley security walk with Officer Litto.   One alley we walked down is the Waltham/Hanson alley.   The alley was in rough shape, filled with lots of debris.   Officer Litto was concerned that if Police or Fire had to respond to an emergency, they would rick injury themselves trying to navigate the alley in the dark.

We'd like to get Waltham/Hanson alley abutters together to do an alley clean-up on Boston Shines day, May 10th.   If enough neighbors get together, we can provide tools and arrange for DPW to pick up everything we remove from the alley.   In the past neighbors helped clean up the Hanson/Milford and Milford/Dwight alleys, and we hope the Waltham/Hanson neighbors will be just as enthusiastic about cleaning up their common alley!

If you abut the alley, please contact John and I'll put you in touch with the folks organizing the cleanup. This would take place the morning of May 10th, as part of Boston Shines.  (and in conjunction with our Ringgold mulching.

Hope to see you then!

April Business Meeting

Happy Springtime!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, April 2nd, 6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Decks @ 1 Hanson
• License changes for Kitchen restaurant
• Information about the new Whole Foods opening
• Special Guest Speaker - Officer Richie Little of BPD
• Open Member Discussion

Business this month includes 1 Hanson street seeking support for rear decks.

Kitchen restaurant (former Pops location @ Clarendon & Tremont) is seeking a change to their liquor license.   Currently they must serve a full meal to anyone who would like a drink.  This restriction was on Pops restaurant, and was carried forward to Kitchen.  This restriction however is not on B&G, Butcher Shop. beehive or Stephie's, which puts Kitchen on a slight disadvantage.   They would like the full meal restriction lifted for the bar portion of the restaurant.

Whole foods will be coming to tell us about their planned space in the Ink Block development, and request support for selling liquor in the grocery store, and a license to sell prepared food.

Our guest speaker this month will be Officer Richie Litto from BPD.  Office Litto is part of the community service branch of BPD, and patrols the South End regularly.  We'll discuss alley safety based on our walk-through last Friday, as well as take questions on ESNA safety and crime in general.


And a reminder that our Ringgold park cleanup is Saturday, April 12th, so mark your calendars.   See more information here.


If you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, or are looking to join us, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Ringgold Park Clean-up

Mark your calendar

April 12th we'll have a cleanup of Ringgold Park.   Let's get the park ready for Spring and the Easter Egg hunt.  This is your chance to get involved, meet your neighbors, and to be the one to make your neighborhood a cleaner place to live.

You'll also get a chance to meet some of the current Friends of Ringgold Park members.  The Friends is looking for more members, as well as some local residents to join the board of FoRP.   Many of the current board no longer live in the area, and we need local residents to step forward and take up leadership positions.

The Parks department will provide tools, gloves and bags, and ESNA will be providing some coffee and goodies.  All you need to bring are good spirits and a willingness to make our neighborhood a better place.

Hope to see you there!!

Saturday, April 12th, starting at 9am.   
Rain date Sunday, April 13

Download the flier with this link.   Print out and share with your neighbors!!

March Business Meeting

Happy "hope winter is almost done"!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, March 5th, 6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Decks @ 11 Hanson
• Ground water info for 30 Hanson
• Special Guest Speaker - Dana Staley from BNAN, (Berkeley Garden)
• Action items & committee reports
• Open Member Discussion

Hi everyone.  A reminder that Street Sweeping season has started.   As soon as temps go above freezing they'll be resuming Street Sweeping activities.

Business this month includes 11 Hanson street seeking support for rear decks.   30 Hanson will go over a groundwater plan that is part of their building renovation.  The Groundwater Trust has approved their plan already, they just wish to share with the neighborhood and gain ESNA support for their final ZBA hearing.

Our guest speaker this month will be Dana Staley of Boston Natural Areas Network.  She will give us a history of Berkeley Garden and talk about the diversity that the multi-national gardeners bring to the neighborhood.  If you can't make it to the meeting for the speaker, the Garden is holding their annual Spring Cleanup on April 5th - residents are always welcome to stop by, chat with gardeners and lend a hand!

We will also be going over committee reports and some goals the committees have been working on over the past month.


If you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, or are looking to join us, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

February Business Meeting

Happy Goundhog Day!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, February  5th, 6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Local Business Focus:  Don Weber of Brownstone Gardens
• Action items & committee reports
• Special guest Speakers: 
• City Council President Bill Linehan
• City Councilor-at-Large Michelle Wu
• City Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty
• Open Member Discussion

We continue this month with a plethora guest speakers.

Local businessman Don Weber will speak about his company Brownstone Gardens.   This is the first in what we hope will be a continuing series of local Eigth Streets neighborhood business owners coming to speak about their business.

We have a special guest this month.   Our district 2 city councilor Bill Linehan will be joining us again as guest speaker.  The councilor was just re-elected this past November, and in January was elected president of the city council.   Join us as Councilor Linehan speaks to us about his new role as Council President, and what the future may hold for local residents under the new council and the Walsh administration.

Councilor Linehan will also be joined by returning Councilor-at-Large Michel Flaherty, and our own South End neighbor Councilor-at-large Michelle Wu.   All three councilors have a strong connection to the inner city and the issues that are unique to downtown neighborhoods.

After our speakers address the neighborhood, there will be plenty of time for Q& A from the audience.

We will also be going over committee reports and some goals the committees have been working on over the past month.

Weather issues:    As of now there may or may not be lots of snow on Wednesday.   Please keep an eye on the blog and other social media should our speakers have to cancel or if the ballet school is closed on Wednesday.   Keep an eye on the forecast to see if this storm turns into a hit or miss.

If you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, or are looking to join us, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

January Business Meeting

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, January 8th,  6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Usual meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• 55 Dwight st - seeking support for a rear deck
• Friends of Ringgold Park
• State Representative Aaron Michlewitz
• Action items & committee reports
• Open Member Discussion

We have two guest speakers joining us this month.

Claire Corcoran of Friends of Ringgold park will be joining us.  Find out some of the park's history, and how you can be a part of the park's future!

We will also be joined by State Representative Aaron Michlewitz.  Find out what Aaron does for you at the state house, and join in with an active Q&A with your state representative!

If you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, or are looking to join us, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

ESNA Calendar
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Snow in Boston

Howdy all.   With our third storm of the season coming soon, and a city snow emergency beginning Thursday at Noon, it's time to talk snow again.

The city snow page can be found here.   It's a great jumping off point for city resources, and has a link were you can sign up to get emails when snow alerts/emergencies/closings happen.

Detailed information on snow clearing can be found on our web "snow" page, and in last year's blizzard snow blog post.

Stay safe!

December Business Meeting

Happy December everyone.  Hope you've recovered form any turkey induced coma you may have run into over the long weekend.

Our next business meeting Wednesday, December 4th,  6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Usual meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• 39 Milford st - request for support for a 2nd floor rear deck
• Committee agendas (see below)
• Open Member Discussion

Neighborhood planning continues this meeting!   We started forming committees at the last meeting.  We'll continue that effort - see what the committees have been up to in organizing themselves and continue discussion of ideas for the coming year.  As well as street captains, we started work on some committees.   The descriptions are listed again below.

• Neighborhood Improvements - How can we make our neighborhood shine!  Educate people about trash.   Organize cleanups.   Work with the city on hot spots for sidewalks/street repairs.  Maybe even start new beautification projects!

• Social Events - We had so much fun at the pot luck, you wanted more!  Bi-annual pot lucks.   neighborhood nights at local restaurants?  Dinner club?  Wine club?  Monthly 'stoop night'?   Maybe a welcome wagon for new residents?   What fin things can You think of??

• Safety - Work with the NA, BPD and street captains on neighborhood safety.   Attend BPD crime meetings.  Organize neighborhood walk-throughs with BPD on how to make doorways and alleys safer.   Maybe fundraise for alley lighting and numbering.  

• City Liaison - work with us as we meet with different city agencies and politicians to keep the NA/City connection alive and productive

• Membership - work with the Treasurer to help promote the NA and boost NA membership

• Local Business - help re-establish the NA relationship with local businesses.   Let them know who the NA is and how we can benefit from each other.  Welcome new businesses.  Maybe have businesses speak at the NA.   Work with local businesses to sponsor events and activities.

If any of their activities interest you, or you have more ideas, bring them to the meeting.    Let's get get our  committees going with ideas and members and plan for a great year!  And don't forget to bring a friend - the more people involved, the more things we can do!

If you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, or are looking to join us, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

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Election Results

A PDF of full election results from the 11/5/2013 Mayoral and City Council races can be found here.
Eight Streets is part of Ward 3, Precinct 7.

WBUR made a cool interactive map that shows mayoral results precinct by precinct.   An interesting division of the city...

November Business meeting

Brrrrrr!

Our next business meeting Wednesday, November 6th,  6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Usual meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• NA Planning - What do you want to do?
• Open Member Discussion

We had planned to have 80 East Berkeley come to the meeting, but they have cancelled.   We are trying to re-schedule.

Neighborhood planning continues this meeting!   We had a lot of great ideas last month, and we'll be building on these.

Street Captains - A great suggestion from last meeting.  Each street would have a 'point person' who would be the liaison for the street.   Get to know the neighbors.   Be a contact point for the NA.  Encourage membership and expand NA visibility.  Maybe coordinate events like street cleanups.    We already have a few volunteers.  Maybe you can help us out!

Committees!  Time to get some ideas and activities form you the residents!!  We've got some ideas for committees that will give you a chance to do more for the neighborhood and get involved!!    Some committees we'd like to form:

• Neighborhood Improvements - How can we make our neighborhood shine!  Educate people about trash.   Organize cleanups.   Work with the city on hot spots for sidewalks/street repairs.  Maybe even start new beautification projects!

• Social Events - We had so much fun at the pot luck, you wanted more!  Bi-annual pot lucks.   neighborhood nights at local restaurants?  Dinner club?  Wine club?  Monthly 'stoop night'?   Maybe a welcome wagon for new residents?   What fin things can You think of??

• Safety - Work with the NA, BPD and street captains on neighborhood safety.   Attend BPD crime meetings.  Organize neighborhood walk-throughs with BPD on how to make doorways and alleys safer.   Maybe fundraise for alley lighting and numbering.  

• City Liaison - work with us as we meet with different city agencies and politicians to keep the NA/City connection alive and productive

• Membership - work with the Treasurer to help promote the NA and boost NA membership

• Local Business - help re-establish the NA relationship with local businesses.   Let them know who the NA is and how we can benefit from each other.  Welcome new businesses.  Maybe have businesses speak at the NA.   Work with local businesses to sponsor events and activities.

Come to the meeting with great ideas as we kick off Member Involvement!!  Let's get some committees together and plan for a great year!

And a reminder, if you haven't yet renewed your annual membership, head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can renew on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.

Hope to see everyone there!

Vote!!

Celebrate the end of those robocalls by going out to vote on November 5th.

Eight Streets (Ward 3 Precinct 7) votes at Cathedral High School, located at Waltham and Washington streets.   Polls are open from 7am-8pm.

This election we will not only vote for a new mayor, but a new city councilor for our district and new city councilors at large (vote for 4).   A list of candidate names can be found on this PDF from the city web site.  You can see the official ballot you will receive here.  

Happy Halloween 2013

Our neighborhood is looking pretty spooky these days - but in a good way!!   Halloween is almost
upon us, and Eight Streets residents are getting into the sprit(s).  Just because we're in a city doesn't mean we can't decorate our buildings!

On Halloween Night, Ringgold park will again host their annual Halloween party for the kids.  The event is free and open to anyone in the neighborhood.  Bring your kids, or just come and check out some great costumes!  4:30-6 on halloween night.

But an event like this doesn't happen on it's own.  If you can help out, they are looking for volunteers to help with the halloween festivities.  Please consider helping out if you have some extra time and help make this a successful event.   If you can't volunteer that day, Ringgold is having a Fall Cleanup this Saturday from 1-3pm to get the park clean and in shape for the kids.  No reservations necessary - just stop on by and give a hand!

After Ringgold, the kids start hitting the street for treats.   Given our townhouses, kids don't really go ringing doorbells.   Instead, we come to them.  Those giving out candy become porch sitters for the night, greeting trick-or-treaters on our front steps.

Aside greeting the kids, this is a great way to meet your neighbors!  Take this opportunity to say hi to the folks next door that you may only see in passing.   Or combine a few houses onto one stoop and make an evening of it.  (the kids just want candy, they don't care where you live  :)  Make a social night out of it!

Have a happy and save halloween everyone!!!

Let's Talk Trash

Trash collection in Boston is done by private contractors.  The city puts trash collection out to bid, and
companies make proposals for trash collection.   For many years now the City has continued the current contract which has kept the current company and trash pickup procedures in place for many years now.

In 2014, the contract for city trash pick-up is going out to bid.  And the city wants your input on trash collection.

We all love to talk about trash.  Now the city actually wants your opinion.  It's time to think outside the box and bring your ideas on trash collection to them.  

First, take this on-line survey.   It asks some basic question son trash and trash collection for the city.

Second, attend a trash meeting.   On Wednesday, Oct 9th, 6pm at the Boston Public Library (Copley Square).   This will be an open forum to discuss issues with the current system, and to see ideas of what we the citizens would want in a new contract.    Time to put on your thinking caps and bring your ideas!  Want more recycling?  Compost pick-up?  better collection hours?   This is your time to speak up.  

For more information, please see this city page.   It has an advanced copy of the presentation you can see, as well as dates of other meetings if you can't make the 9th.

October ESNA Business Meeting

Happy Autumn Everyone.

Our next business meeting Wednesday, October 2nd,  6:30-8:30 at the Boston Ballet 5th floor board room (Corner of Warren & Clarendon)

Usual meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• 293 Shawmut - request to support an increase in occupancy
• NA Planning - What do you want to do?
• Open Member Discussion

293 Shawmut wishes to increase building occupancy from 5 to 6 by splitting one of the larger units to provide more housing.  Plans will be presented and a vote taken.

We'd like to spend a large portion of the meeting doing some neighborhood planning.   We had a great pot-luck, and met a lot of new faces, and and to know what you would like to do next.   How else can we make the neighborhood more social?   What things can we do to improve our community.   We want your feedback and ideas, and maybe even some volunteers,  so we can continue to keep our neighborhood a great place to live.


Hope to see everyone there!

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