Tuesday, December 11, 2012
A new data-driven website and downloadable app lets Boston residents check in on the city's services performance, including transportation, crime, fire, parks and other departments.
Crime in Boston has gone down by 4 percent compared to last year. Fires are reached within 4 minutes 66 percent of the time. A total of 1,190 cars were towed in September. Thanks to a new data-driven website and downloadable app, Boston residents can now check in on the city's performance across various city services, including downloads at the library, tree issues in parks, police and fire response and traffic and parking issues. With the Boston About Results program, residents can track each department's goals against the city's actual statistics in a way that is open and transparent to the public in an effort to let residents see how the city is performing. In addition to the web-based scorecard, there's also an iPad app called …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Inspired by food trucks, the vehicle will travel throughout Boston's neighborhoods allowing residents access to select city services.
What happens when you mix city hall with a food truck? A bright red, brand new "City Hall to Go" truck traveling through Boston's neighborhoods where residents can perform select city services like requesting birth or marriage certificates or paying parking tickets. “‘City Hall To Go’ builds on our mission to shake up the status quo in municipal services,” Mayor Thomas Menino said in a statement. “This pilot offers one more way for Boston residents to get personal, timely service from the City, and makes it even easier by cutting out the trip to City Hall.” Residents will be able to pay or dispute parking tickets, request birth, death or marriage certificates and pay property and excise taxes, among other services. The full menu of …
Friday, July 20, 2012
The city will install 400 new solar powered trash compactors to promote recycling, but they won't be in residential areas.
Next month, the city will install 400 new solar powered trash compactors to promote recycling in Boston. But chances are they won’t be anywhere near your Charlestown home. The Big Belly compactors will go in “high traffic areas” such as Downtown Crossing and Fenway, but they won’t line residents’ streets—at least not at first. It’s also likely they’ll be kept out of public parks due to the advertisements on the cans, which is part of a bartering agreement that allows the city to have the barrels for free. “How do we expand this into the neighborhoods?” At-Large City Councilor Felix Arroyo asked during a public hearing on Tuesday. “I think everybody knows where the Big Bellies will end up.” A big step toward city-wide single stream …
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
A team of five men with two trucks responded to about 2,500 tagged sites this year in 23 neighborhoods throughout the city.
Walking through West Roxbury, Marc Abelard has noticed more graffiti on storefronts, on the sides of buildings and throughout his neighborhood in general. In the last eight months, he says, tags have gotten bigger and the taggers have grown bolder. “My fear is if it's not curbed, it’s going to spread to individual homes,” Abelard said. Too late. It already has. And Charlestown, like West Roxbury, has also seen an increase in graffiti. Enter Michael Bartosiak, executive director for the city’s Property Management and Construction department, and the leader of Boston’s Graffiti Busters: a team of five men with two trucks who scrub away the spray paint on commercial and residential buildings in 23 neighborhoods throughout the city. West …
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The series includes a nature walk, tree lecture, Free Fun Fridays, New England Aquarium tidal pool, and sky-viewing, giving the public a unique opportunity to learn about science outdoors in an interactive and fun way.
The city is bringing science to a park near you. Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston Parks and Recreation are launching a new annual educational series aimed at kids and families that will teach science and nature through fun, free events at local parks and playgrounds. From sky-viewing to tree lectures – from West Roxbury to Beacon Hill – the interactive series kicks off July 16 and runs through Sept. 22. Dates and locations for the Park Science series are as follows: Monday, July 16, 10 a.m. to noon Monday, July 23, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, August 3, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, August 29, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 22, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Circle the City continues with two free outdoor activities this summer.
From zumba and hula hooping, to healthy food trucks, kite flying and a street hockey clinic with Boston Bruins' Andrew Ference, last Sunday kids took full advange of their local park with Circle the City's kick off event at Franklin Park. The new initiative provides free outdoor fun, and is a collaboration between local organizations to connect people to parks and promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness, LivableStreets Alliance, Franklin Park Coalition and the City of Boston launched the program on June 24, and have two more events planned for the summer: Every event includes free live performances, outdoor fitness, dance and yoga classes, Farmer’s Markets, …
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Not everything is open yet for the season, but here's where you can head to cool off.
It's 90 degrees out, but don't bother going to the Clougherty Pool. Because it's closed. The city's outdoor pools—which include the Clougherty Pool in Charlestown and Mirabella Pool in the North End—aren't scheduled to open until Saturday, when temperatures will drop down to 75. However, all the indoor pools are up and running, a city spokesman said. The cooling centers are also open, and have the air conditioning on, which means Charlestown residents should head to the Charelstown Community Center instead. Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the South End are without designated pools or cooling centers in their neighborhoods, but there's always the Christian Science Center fountain. South End residents can also get wet by heading to a spray park at…
42.38124
-71.0672
Clougherty Pool
331 Bunker Hill St, Charlestown, MA
/articles/clougherty-pool-closed-until-sat-but-heres-where-to-go
1484027
/locations/7285821
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The city of Boston issued a heat advisory and safety tips in preparation for rising temps this week. Here's how to stay cool in your neighborhood.
With temperatures expected to skyrocket this week - we're talking high 90s on Wednesday and Thursday - the city of Boston issued a heat advisory, reminding residents to drink plenty water, take breaks in the shade while outside, wear loose, light colored clothing and sunscreen, and try to stay inside where its air conditioned. It's the perfet time to go catch a movie. “Summer is arriving at full steam, and as we prepare for the first potential heat wave of the season there are a few important things to keep in mind,” Mayor Thomas Menino said. “In these conditions we must remember to stay cool and hydrated and keep an eye on our vulnerable neighbors.” Children, the elderly and homeless people are particlarly susceptible. Heat related …
Just a person!
9:27 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
John; Not really sure but, I thought it was the 28th of June, that's what I was told. But! If we have to wait for a ceremony, god only knows. Was there myself, what else is left to do? more ›