Eight Streets Neighborhood Association

March 5^th meeting minutes

Key dates:

Next meeting: April 2

Berkeley garden lottery: April 5

April 12: Rose pruning and park clean up: Ringold Park 9am – 2pm

General notes:

1. March – Street sweeping starts

2. Reminder that Friends of Ringold Park are looking for new Board Members

3. April cleanup of Ringold park and surrounding areas set for April 12 between 9am and 2pm, meet at Ringold Park. We’ll aim to have coffee and pastries made available

4. May 10^th (Boston Shines) further clean up planned in the neighborhood

5. Stay tuned, the Social Committee for Eight Streets are planning a few social activities, please make sure you open any emails coming from Eight Streets for more details.

6. Get involved & be informed, be a member of Eight Streets, $20 per person, $30 per household, $50 for any business

Guest Speak scheduled for April: Boston Police Department to give us an update of the happenings in our area. A few days prior to this April meeting Officer Litto will offer those who are interested a guide through a few select streets in our neighborhood with a focus on how to improve security.

The date for the BDP walk through has not yet been assigned although we expect it to be a few days prior to the next meeting. If you are interested in joining please email Bernard at Petersen_bernard@yahoo.com

Currently already registered for the BDP walk through are:

Jordan Deasy

Bernard Petersen

Ted Pietras

Michael ???

Guest speaker for May: Boston Water and Sewer “History of”

Guest speaker overview for March meeting:

Guest Speaker: Dana Staley of Boston Natural Areas Network, parent organization and deed holder for Berkeley Community gardens, as well as 17 other gardens and open spaces in the South End. Dana gave us a history of Berkeley as well as introducing us to the diversity of Berkeley gardens.

16 community gardens make up the BNAN

Organized in 1977

Set out to preserve, expand, improve urban open space

Full BNAN presentation will be provided on our website shortly

142 plots and 161 gardeners

Berkeley garden gardeners have a unique ethnic composition, 50% speak Chinese as a primary language

Majority live in the South End

There is an objective underway to put a chain link fence all along the side of Berkeley Gardens adjacent to Public Alley 705. This project will cost between 120 and 140K, scheduled to be finished in 2014 if enough money is raised.

For more information on how to donate to the fence fund or to find out more about the Berkeley Gardens please log onto www.berkeleygardens.org/

11 Hanson Street – Aletha Cleckley, owner

Ms. Cleckley is seeking support for balconies on the rear of her building

The outcome: Vote of non-opposition for Aletha Cleckley to add balconies to her building

30 Hanson Street – Kelly Curry & Josh Weiss, owners

Kelly& Josh are undergoing extensive renovations at their residence. They are lowering their basement floor, which requires a groundwater recharge plan. The Groundwater Trust has already approved their plan. They are here to tell the NE about their building plans, and to get a letter of support for their groundwater plan to bring to their ZBA hearing.

The outcome: Vote of non-opposition for the above renovation plans