Limits Proposed for Boston Common

Beacon Hill Times
Common problems: too many people, too many events by Stephen Quigley


A move is underway to ban large events on Boston Common. Large scale events that draw tens of thousands of people are ruining the Common’s lawns and walkways, according to city officials and Henry Lee, president of Friends of the Boston Public Garden, an advocate for the Common.

Last year, more than 1000 events were held on the Common, whose fragile infrastructure is being torn asunder.

“Our goal is to make this the greatest park in America and to identify the challenges and opportunities of doing that,” Councilor Michael Ross said in opening the first public hearing on Boston Common that was held Wednesday night at Suffolk University Law School.

This hearing was more exploratory in nature as Ross, joined by Boston City Councilors Sal LaMattina and William Linehan heard from a variety of city officials as well as civic leaders about their ideas and concerns about the future for Boston Common.

The Common and Public Garden, which comprise more than 40 acres in total are Boston’s great prizes in the heart of the city.

The area receives a tremendous amount of foot traffic on a daily basis as three major MBTA stops, Park Street and Boylston Street Station and the new Silver Line bus stop have direct access in the area as well as commuters who use the Boston Common Garage. In addition to these users, there are also many college students from Suffolk University and Emerson College who regard the Common as their front yard. And there are also dog owners from Beacon Hill and Back Bay who consider the Common a wonderful place to walk their pets.

Officials from the Boston Parks Department outlined how the Common gets extensive use on a daily basis. This use has had an adverse effect in many areas like the Parade Grounds near Charles and Beacon Streets that have been closed off for repairs to the grass.

In some cases, pedestrians in cutting across corners from the paved paths have destroyed the grass and created dirt paths. The department plans to add more fences and then turf or brick areas in order to repair and to maintain the integrity of the park.

Boston Parks Commissioner Antonia Pollak told the Councilors about the planned changes involving a head house at Park Street for elevator access. She noted that the MBTA is under court order to bring the station into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Pollak also said that there is an opportunity to have the MBTA step up with an added commitment to help maintain the Common.
“Boston Common should no longer play host to large scale events,” she said.
Area 1 Police Captain Bernie O’Rourke told the councilors that crime in the Boston Common is down through the efforts of added policing from the safe street teams, but that crime in the general area including Downtown Crossing is up.

He acknowledged that as the police intensify their efforts in the Common, the crime moves to a different area. He also noted that in the last two weeks there were 21 arrests for people selling drugs. He said that most area assaults are drinking related. He also said reinstituting the 11:30 pm. to 6 a.m. curfew on the Common has also helped in reduction of direct crime in the Common.

Ironically, O’Rourke also noted that the Common is safer when there are events taking place.

Homelessness continues to be a problem in the Common, but due to the curfew this problem has moved more into the North End and Downtown Crossing area. Park rangers also are patrolling the area but their main objective is to be more visible than an active crime deterrent.

The number of mounted rangers has decreased from 25 in 2000 to about 12 this year. The area that they patrol goes as far as Copley Square.

James Green from the Mayor’s Office on Homelessness said that efforts are being made to find permanent housing for some of the homeless especially in this area. He noted that in the annual census that was conducted in December, the number of homeless in Boston went down from 306 in 2006 to 184 in 2007. He also noted that his agency is working closely with other agencies like the Pine Street Inn and Shattuck Hospital.
Henry Lee from the Friends of the Public Garden said, “the Common is all things to all people.” There were, he added, more than 1,000 events in the Common last year and that in the last 25 years the use has overwhelmed the maintenance.

Lee noted that the ground is harder than a concrete floor because it has been compacted by so much by foot traffic and that it is impossible for rainwater to seep through to the roots of the trees. He also said that everyone from developers to abutters should be doing more to help.

Tom Kershaw who owns the Hampshire House and helps run the Frog Pond told of how that part of Common is used both in winter as the skating rink and in summer as the wading pool might be a perfect place for a restaurant. He noted that without a liquor license a venture like Tavern on the Green that is located in Central Park in New York City would have a difficult time in being financially viable.

“This is our front door,” Peggy Ings from Emerson told the councilors about Emerson’s involvement in bringing resources to help the Common. She mentioned that the College runs and maintains a café on Tremont Street. However, the café runs at a $35,000 deficit, but she said that this is cost Emerson is willing to bear when you consider what was happening at this corner of Boylston and Tremont Streets before. Emerson is also planning to install a wrought iron period fence down Tremont Street that will cost more than $250,000.

“This is a wonderful start, and Suffolk understands that it has a responsibility to the Common,” John Nucci, said Suffolk University Vice president.

One resident mentioned that he hoped that the Common or surrounding streets would be more bicycle friendly. Another longtime resident echoed public officials when he noted that large events are damaging the Common.

Rev. Kathy McAdams from Ecclesia Ministries told the Councilors, “we need to look at all the needs of all Bostonians and that poverty and homelessness are not a crime but needs to be addressed by government.”

Colin Zick from the Beacon Hill Civic Association told of how he became involved in the Common with two boys playing baseball.

“When I saw the homeless problem and drug activity, I got involved.”
He mentioned that the Boston Common Management Plan that was written more than 10 years ago foresaw and addressed many of today’s issues.

“Enforcing the rules and regulations in place will go a long way in improving the Common,” he said.

The Councilors asked for input and found out that the Common is much more than a playground or park. For more than 400 years, the Common has been used for not only recreational uses but as a public space for all Bostonians.
The date for the next meeting has not been scheduled.