News

Flowers, harmony at Mayor's SE coffee

by Michele D.  Maniscalco
Thursday May 17, 2018

After two contentious years in which hot-button issues dominated the annual Mayor's Coffee Hour in the South End, this year's event, which took place on Tuesday, May 1 at Titus Sparrow Park, resumed its usual upbeat atmosphere, with Mayor Martin J. Walsh touting improvements to the South End Branch Library and other public works; discussing his plan to rebuild the Long Island Bridge; and, along with many of his department chiefs, mingling with approximately 100 residents to hear their thoughts and ideas.

Boston Transportation Department commissioner Gina Fiandaca, Inspectional Services Department head Buddy Christopher, Chief of Streets Christopher Osgood and Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD) commissioner Christopher Cook were on hand to talk to neighbors. Cook was joined by his director of external affairs, Ryan Woods, and other BPRD staff as organizers of the coffee hour, with BPRD employees providing literature on BPRD's work and its summer events schedule; serving coffee, donut holes and fruit cups and giving away potted marigolds as well as colorful, pin-on felt flowers that they hand-crafted.

Former South End liaison, now citywide LGBTQ liaison and public information officer Sam Chambers made a welcome return, joined by current South End/Bay Village liaison Faisa Sharif. Elected officials and hopefuls also came to sound out the crowd, including state representative and longtime South Ender Byron Rushing and the challenger for his seat, emergency medicine physician Jon Santiago; District 2 city councilor Ed Flynn; District 7 councilor Kim Janey; and at large city councilor Annissa Essaibi-George.

This year's event marked a return to the customarily sociable tone of the coffee hour. Last year's coffee hour, which occurred in July rather than the usual early-May date, was held in conjunction with the reopening of the newly-renovated Monsignor Reynolds Playground.

Mayor Walsh, then running for re-eelction, was met by approximately 40-50 residents, mostly from the area near Massachusetts Avenue and the so-called "Methadone Mile", who detailed their concerns and dismay with rising theft, car break-ins, unconscious and overdosing persons on their front steps, carjacking, public elimination on front steps and in alleys, shooting up and the proliferation of needles. Many spoke with palpable frustration, some saying they were trying to sell their homes and move.

The May, 2016 Mayor's Coffee Hour in Peters Park was met with a student protest, the young people carrying signs and chanting for an end to racism in the Boston Public Schools and elsewhere in light of racially-charged incidents that led to the resignation of the BLS headmaster. In contrast, the mood of the crowd was light and the Mayor's message was well-received at this year's Coffee Hour.