South Boston Online presented an update in the Jan. 14 issue on the community effort to develop a coherent plan for developing the one-mile stretch of Dorchester Avenue that lies between Andrew Square and West Broadway.This climaxed six months of planning at Boston Redevelopment Authority-sponsored meetings featuring extensive community involvement. Indeed, this involvement was the key to the whole process so far.
The first planning meeting of the New Year took place in MassBay Credit Union’s conference room on Wednesday, Jan. 27. It was very well attended by more than 75 participants from the South Boston community; BRA personnel continued their important roles as facilitators. The title of this meeting was “Draft with Us, Placemaking and Mobility Workshop.”
Briefly, this meeting’s discussion topics consisted of looking at roads, ways of getting around, and determining the personal character of the developments along Dorchester Avenue. This stemmed from three key topics jointly determined in 2015: public open space, middle income housing and civic/cultural/art space. Defining neighborhood character led to phrases like “vibrant, safe, accessible;” “people friendly;” “mixed use;” and “area filled with cultural events.”
Make it a point to attend the next PLAN South Boston meeting, “Discuss with Us,” on Tuesday evening, Feb. 23. Stay tuned, keep in touch, and help draft the final Dorchester Avenue Plan.
