year! 2011 forty-first april ashmont out lookashmonthill.org/ah/outlook_2_files/april 2011...
TRANSCRIPT
The way city living should be
ASHMONTOUTLOOK
Published at Dorchester, Massachusetts by the Ashmont Hill Association, Established 1970
Greetings, Neighbors!Thanks to Debbie Munson and Andy
Schroeder for hosting (and cookingfor) the February meeting.
Our next meeting is Thursday, March31, at 36 Welles Avenue, at 7:30 p.m.,hosted by Ayla Gavins and Kyle Gates.On the agenda:
1) City Councilor Ayanna Pressleywill talk about the potential for estab-lishing Cultural Districts in Bostonunder state legislation passed last year.Could Dorchester be a possible CD?What’s involved? What are the bene-fits? Come find out.
2) Branch manager Nick Calos willgive an update on the transition fromWainwright Bank to Eastern Bank.
3) Property owner Tinh Thanh Le hasrequested a zoning variance to extendliving space (family room and halfbath) into the existing basement of 22Mellen Street. The variance is neces-sary because the added space wouldexceed the allowed floor area ratio.Mai Phung, of the Phung/Porzio Studioof Architecture, has asked to make apresentation about the plans in thehope of obtaining support. Abuttersand other interested neighbors areencouraged to attend.
AHA has consistently been amongthe highest vote getters in past Dorch-ester Chili Cook-Offs and is entering
It’s Chili Time Again!The fifth annual Dorchester Chili
Cook-Off is back by popular demand,on Sunday, April 10, 3 – 6 p.m. atIBEW Local 103, 256 Freeport Street.A fundraiser to benefit the DorchesterDay Parade, the Cook-Off is fun for allages, with raffles, prizes, entertain-ment, and an impressive array of chilito sample, cooked up by organizationsthroughout Dorchester.
New this year: a panel of distin-guished judges will award prizes forBest of Show, Best Non-Beef, BestVegetarian, and Best Creative Use ofChili. A special Sombrero Award willbe given for the best table decorations,server costumes, and team spirit. Theever-popular People’s Choice votingwill also take place: each ticketincludes a handful of votes and there isno limit to how many additional votescan be purchased.
Advance purchase tickets are$15/adult, $25/family (up to four), kidsunder 5 free, and will be available atthe March AHA meeting, or call VickiRugo at 617-288-8867. Tickets at thedoor are $20/adult, $30/family, and $5per additional child. Info: 617-265-5397 or [email protected].
Ashmont Hill AssociationMonthly MeetingThursday, March 31
7:30 p.m.
36 Welles Avenue,hosted by Ayla Gavins
& Kyle GatesSupper at 7 p.m.
Desserts appreciated!
AgendaCouncilor Ayanna Pressley on
Cultural DistrictsNick Calos on Eastern Bank
TransitionMai Phung on 22 Mellen Street
Zoning Variance
Community CalendarWeekly Hatha Yoga Resumes
Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 – 8 p.m. (through Tuesday, May 31)
Fields Corner Library
DAC 4th Friday PotluckFriday, March 25, 7 – 10 p.m.
Studio D, 11 Pearl Street
Dorchester Coast Greenway Meeting
Saturday, March 26, 10 a.m. – noonPort Norfolk Yacht Club
Forty-First AprilYear! 2011
(continued on page 4)(continued on page 4),% ,
2 Ashmont Outlook • April 2011
The way city living should be
The Ashmont HillAssociation
was established in 1970. A non-profit 501(c)3 organ-ization, its mission is to provide a forum to enhancethe quality of life in and around Dorchester’s historicAshmont Hill neighborhood by fostering a strongsense of community among all residents.
We welcome news items of neighborhood interest,space permitting. Submis sions (no longer than 250words and including a contact name and phone num-ber) should be sent to P.O. Box 240217, Dorchester,MA 02124, or left on the Message Line. We reservethe right to edit submissions for clarity and length.
AdvertisingClassified: $10/insertion for headingand four lines of copy.Business ads: $30/insertion or $250for full year (10 issues).Leave ad info request on Message Line.
News and advertising deadlines:April 15, May 13, June 10The Outlook is distributed approximatelyone week after each deadline.The Ashmont Hill Association neither endorsesnor warrants the products or services ofAshmont Outlook advertisers.
AHA Board of Directors2010 - 2011Yixin Harrison Tang, PresidentVicki Rugo, Treasurer Lianne Ames, Assistant Treasurer Patricia Burson, Clerk David Mooney, Assistant Clerk
Support Volunteers Andrea Barsomian-Dietrich, webmasterDeborah Munson, bookkeeper
Outlook staffLianne Ames, layout/productionVicki Rugo, writer/editor
Ashmont Hill AssociationP.O. Box 240217Dorchester, MA 02124
Message Line: 617-822-8178Email: [email protected] is grateful to the Codman SquareHealth Center for providing the MessageLine.
To subscribe to the Ashmont Hill list-serve, send email request with your fullname and street address to [email protected]
February Meeting NotesCommunity Service Officer Mike
Keaney was happy to have little toreport for the immediate area and noteda fairly quiet month overall for the sur-rounding district.
Neighbors next heard from Luis andYomiris Rodriguez, who plan to open anew restaurant called Sea Breeze Mexi-can Grill at 1782 Dorchester Avenue, atShepton Street. They plan to serve pri-marily Mexican food, though they them-selves are Dominican—Mexican foodoffering a greater variety—and havehired a professional chef to run thekitchen. The menu will feature healthyfoods, with an emphasis on seafood.Update! The restaurant opened Wednes-day, March 23. Hours are 6:30 a.m. –9:30 p.m., serving breakfast, lunch, anddinner, including a special kids’ menufor those under 10. Check it out!
Following a presentation by JoeGildea of photographs and schematicdrawings for the proposed demolitionand replacement of the fire escape at15 Walton Street, neighbors presentvoted unanimously to support hisrequest for the necessary variance.(Note: A support letter from AHA wassent to the Board of Appeals, and thevariance was subsequently approved.)
The AHA Board is exploring optionsfor how to make use of the gift of theAshmont Hill quilt made by Ina Nenor-tas. The Board welcomes ideas for howto exhibit this beautiful piece of crafts-manship and creativity.
— David Mooney, assistant clerk
Another CSA OpportunityLangwater Farm from Easton, MA is
offering CSA (Community SupportedAgriculture) memberships at the Ash-mont/Peabody Square Farmers’ Marketthis year. Shareholders get 15 weeks ofLangwater Farm’s Certified Organicproduce starting the first week of theFarmers’ Market (Friday, July 8) andending the second week of October.Cost is $450 for a full share and $250for a half share. There is no delivery
charge. Each week shareholders willselect their own items from a list pro-vided by Langwater based on produceavailable. Arrangements can be madeto set aside shares for late arrivals.Info/to sign up: [email protected] or 508-205-9665; www.langwa-terfarm.com.
Organized Bike RidesMany people have expressed interest
in scheduled rides that would originateat the new Ashmont Cycles bike shop.A race-training ride is being plannedfor Wednesday evenings, and a moreleisurely ride is also being discussed. Ifyou are interested in either of theserides, or have other ideas, please con-tact Jack Pelletier at 617-686-6552 [email protected], or stop bythe shop at 551A Talbot Avenue.
Dot Park Association NewsDPA is planning a gala weekend of
events to highlight and benefit Dorch-ester Park in late September and islooking for volunteers to help out. Ifyou are interested or would like moreinformation, please contact RichardO’Mara at 617-825-8582 or [email protected].
Codman Square Library690 Washington Street617-436-8214
Janice Knight, head librarianChris Strunk, children’s librarian
Library hours:Monday & Thursday 12-8Tuesday & Wednesday 10-6Friday & Saturday 9-5
Programs:Storytime: every Tuesday, 11 a.m.; everyFriday, 10:30 a.m.
Pre-School Films: every Friday, 11 a.m. Homework Assistance Program (ages 6-12): 3:30–5:30p.m. Monday-Thursday,Saturday 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Game Day (all ages): Play all kinds ofboard games, Friday 3–4 p.m.
Call library to be sure events have not beencancelled.
c d o A C Q
Ashmont Outlook • April 2011 3
The way city living should be
About theNeighborhood
DAC Potluck, BreakfastDorchester Arts Collaborative will
hold a 4th Friday Potluck and launch itsnew website on Friday, March 25, 7 – 10p.m., at Studio D, 11 Pearl Street. Bringsomething for the table; wine and softbeverages supplied. Info: 617-839-6734.
Breakfast Redux, DAC’s forum forarts discourse, meets the third Friday ofthe month and welcomes all artists andothers interested in developing and nur-turing a healthy arts community inDorchester. Venues change from monthto month; check the new website fordetails: www.dac-online.org.
Dorchester CoastGreenway CommunityPlanning Meeting
A meeting to discuss the DorchesterCoast Greenway will be held at thePort Norfolk Yacht Club, 179 WalnutStreet, on Saturday, March 26, from 10a.m. to noon. Conducted by graduatestudents from Tufts’ Department ofUrban Environmental Planning andPolicy, in collaboration with the BostonCyclists Union, Dot Bike, Boston Nat-ural Areas Network, and RepresentativeMarty Walsh, the meeting is intendedto collect resident and stakeholderfeedback on a potential greenway linkbetween the Neponset River Trail andUMass Harborwalk. Info/comments:[email protected]
Friends of the CodmanSquare Library
All interested neighbors are invitedto join the Friends group. The nextmeeting is Thursday, March 31, 6 – 7p.m. at the Library. On the agenda: theSummer Reading Kickoff, LearningGarden, Knitting Club, Chess Club,and Youth Council. The Friends usuallymeet the third Monday of the month.Can’t make a meeting? Stay in touch
)and get involved by joining our eList:send a request to [email protected]. We look forward to meeting you!
Free Yoga Classes ResumeFree hatha yoga classes previously
held in Codman Square are resuming onTuesday, April 5, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. atthe Fields Corner Library, 1520 Dorch-ester Avenue. Classes will run for 9weeks through Tuesday, May 31, and aretaught by Integral Yoga instructor AliciaZipp. Open to participants of all levels,including beginners, the class incorpo-rates a gentle, meditative style of yoga.No registration is required. Parking isavailable in the lot across the street inspaces designated for two-hour parking.Info: Alicia at 617-282-6722 or [email protected]
“Behind the Music” withBoston City Singers
Boston City Singers invites neigh-bors to a free Evening Tea on Tuesday,April 5, 7 – 8 p.m. at All Saints, Ash-mont, to introduce BCS staff and boardmembers, provide information aboutBCS’s history and programs, answerquestions, and offer a rehearsal visit orshort performance. In sharing whatthey do, BCS hopes to attract supportand volunteers for all aspects of theirprogram, which now has nine chorusesin Boston neighborhoods.
Ashmont Book GroupThe next Book Group meeting is
Wednesday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m., at 22Harley Street, hosted by Lil Konowitz.We will be discussing True Grit byCharles Portis. May’s book is MajorPettigrew’s Last Stand by HelenSimonson. Join us! Info: Lil Konowitz,[email protected], or leave a messageon the AHA Message line.
Dorchester SymphonySpring Concert April 10
The Dorchester Symphony Orchestrapresents a Spring Concert on Sunday,April 10 at 3 p.m. at All Saints, Ash-
mont. Featured soloist is violinistAnnie Chen, a student at the New Eng-land Conservatory of Music, who willplay Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5.Also on the program: the Overture toMozart’s The Marriage of Figaro andHaydn’s Symphony No. 101 (‘TheClock”). Tickets, available at the door,are $10/adults; $5/children age 6 -16yrs; age 5 and under free. Info: www.dorchestersymphony.org. Advertisingspace is available in the concert pro-gram; contact Margaret Lamb, 617-282-1301, by April 1.
Historian James Green atSpeaker’s Forum
Dorchester Speaker’s Forum presentsa free lecture and discussion withUMass Boston professor and notedlabor historian James Green on Friday,April 15, 7:30 p.m. at All Saints, Ash-mont. At a time when unions are domi-nating domestic news, this presentationwill attempt provide some context toconsider when thinking about theissues. Green directs the graduate pro-gram in public history at UMass andteaches courses on the history ofBoston, working class history, andsocial justice movements. Author ofseveral books, he has served as presi-dent of the Labor and Working ClassHistory Association, and was researchdirector for the PBS series The GreatDepression.
Show and Tell at DHSThe Dorchester Historical Society
invites everyone to “show us yourtreasure and tell us its story,” on Sun-day, April 17, 2 p.m. at DHS headquar-ters, 195 Boston Street. Do you treas-ure your grandmother’s necklace?Show it to us and tell us why she wasimportant in your life. Do you collectsomething? Show an item from yourcollection and tell us why it interestsyou. (If you are shy, bring your chil-dren and have them tell the story!) Sto-ries will need to be brief to allow timefor everyone to speak. We’ll all enjoysharing!
4 Ashmont Outlook • April 2011
The way city living should be
donald e. vaughan
Representing Individuals and Businesses
burnslev.com
569 Talbot AvenuePeabody SquareDorchester, MA 02124
(617) 436-4412 Fax (617) 436-4479
[email protected] www.yankeeins.com
Serving Dorchester Since 1989
Community CalendarContinued from page 1
Friends of the Codman Square Library
Thursday, March 31, 6 – 7 p.m.At the Library
BCS “Behind the Music” TeaTuesday, April 5, 7 – 8 p.m.
All Saints, Ashmont
Ashmont Book GroupWednesday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.
22 Harley Street
DSO Spring ConcertSunday, April 10, 3 p.m.
All Saints, Ashmont
Dorchester Chili Cook-OffSunday, April 10, 3 – 6 p.m.
IBEW 103, 256 Freeport Street
DAC Breakfast ReduxFriday, April 15
Dorchester Historical Society“Show and Tell”
Sunday, April 17, 2 p.m.DHS Headquarters, 195 Boston Street
AHA Monthly MeetingThursday, April 28
Boston Shines NeighborhoodCleanup
Saturday, April 30
Ashmont Hill Yard SaleSaturday, May 21
(details next month)
Come to the Dorchester YMCA and get the chance to win a free one year membership.See the Dorchester YMCA Membership Desk for details and to register.617.436.7750
Dorchester
It’s all inside the Y.
Greetings NeighborsContinued from page 1
this year’s competition with a new,sure-to-win recipe. Come support yourneighborhood…and Dorchester Day!
Yixin Harrison-TangPresident, Board of DirectorsAshmont Hill Association
Representing individuals in criminal, family law,personal injury & business litigation & faculty &students in university disciplinary matters.
DAVID DUNCANATTORNEY AT LAW
www.zrld.com617-742-6020
ZALKIND, RODRIGUEZ, LUNT & DUNCAN LLP
Help keep our neighborhood safe:
Porch lights on from dusk to dawn.
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Some Useful PhoneNumbers
Boston 911 for cellphones: 617-343-4911
C-11 Community Service Officers: 617-343- 4524 Non-emergency only; call 911 for ALL emergencies
Mayor’s 24-Hour Constituent Line: 617-635-4500 Call for all concerns; alsovisit www.cityofboston.gov and click“Citizens Connect.”
Snow Emergency Hotline: 617-635-3050
Public Works main: 617-635-4900
Recycling: 617-635-4959
TV/computer monitor pickup: 617-635-7574
Red Line/Ashmont StationReconstruction Hot Line: 617-222-6757
MBTA Police Emergency: 617-222-1212
MBTA Police Non-emergency: 617-222-1100