The Jamaica Plain Historical Society is one of my favorite Facebook pages. They have hundreds of photos posted depicting Jamaica Plain from as early as the 1800s. One of the best shows horse drawn buggies crawling along next to the pond – reminding us that JP was once known as the “Eden of America” for its rolling hills and vast green space.
Posts published in “Opinion”
In January, the busy streets of Boston became safer. As we dig out from this month’s snowstorms and prepare for spring, I want to remind drivers, cyclists and pedestrians about our City’s newest initiative to make our streets safer: reducing the speed limit on streets in Boston from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour (MPH).
Looking back on this week, I am so proud to be a Bostonian — and to be your mayor. Last Friday, President Trump made good on his divisive campaign rhetoric, and signed a series of executive orders that are designed to promote American isolation, intolerance and fear. Boston didn’t sit back and accept these orders — our residents stood up against harming immigrants and refugees, and stood up for our values.
When I first took office in 2014 I pledged to listen, learn and lead. It quickly became clear that leading on gender equity was essential to our City’s success. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is important to our economy as a whole and businesses’ bottom lines. Women make up the majority of our city, but like every city and most companies in the nation, women — and especially women of color — are underrepresented and underpaid in our workforce.
Editor’s Note: Author Tim Reardon is on the Board of Directors of Egleston Square Main Street and a member of the PLAN JP/Rox Advisory Group.
Since before Mayor Walsh’s inauguration, community organizations in Jamaica Plain have been asking him to create a plan to guide development and expand housing opportunities along the corridor from Jackson Square to Forest Hills. Unfortunately, after an extended 18-month process, the city is on the verge of adopting a plan that may turn out to be worse than the status quo.
When I ran for mayor, I knew I wanted to make Boston a city where every resident can afford to live, work and raise a family. Since I’ve been elected, Boston has grown — fast. Our population is expanding rapidly and we’re expected to reach over 700,000 residents by 2030. Our tech sector is booming, and the construction of our commercial and residential buildings are reaching new heights. While I’m excited about our economic growth, increasing investment and the new jobs arriving in our neighborhoods, we also need to make sure we are meeting the needs of every family in Boston.
Walking around our JP neighborhood in the weeks since the presidential election and spending time with loved ones over Thanksgiving, it can feel as if the progressive values we love about this place are under threat in much of America. The realization that so many Americans (though not a majority) voted against our values is hugely disappointing. This may grow to anger and outrage as a Trump presidency afflicts damage on our freedoms and institutions.
[Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor from JP’s Ken Sazama.]
Who Lived Here First?
The Massachusett people lived in the general Boston area. They were called “people of the great hills”, a reference to the Blue Hills.
Going from East to West, the Wampanoag, Moheagan and Mohican tribes also lived and thrived in what we now know as Massachusetts.
I have been asked, “why am I a member of JP Local First?” Well, I choose to spend my money where I think it will do the most good. Sometimes that means looking for a good deal, other times it means supporting my fellow neighbor, while looking to get a quality service or product, and meeting my needs.
Thanks for the article on this subject [Permit Parking Comes to Moss Hill]. I am a resident here, too. I oppose the restriction on street parking. There was no street parking problem of any sort here before the signs went up and I don’t see why restrictive and exclusive legislation was suddenly imposed.