It’s a tale as old as time. Finding a parking spot in the neighborhood is a challenge. So when a new pop-up neighborhood space for seasonal and youth programming showed up in Day Square, business owners were less than pleased. 11 parking spaces have been removed from this area.
WBZ just did a story on it this week, reporting that in addition to taking away coveted parking spots, it’s causing some traffic and public safety issues. According to one shop owner in the neighborhood, double parking has gotten even worse. The report also states that the temporary space already has a broken chair, a waterlogged foosball table without a ball, and planters littered with mini alcohol bottles and debris.
The City of Boston website describes the Day Square Plaza as the following:
This interim plaza is intended to provide shade and seating to help community members to stay cool on hot days. Additionally, the space will serve as a platform for seasonal programming, and will provide opportunities for engagement of youth both outside of school during the summer, as well as during the start of the school year in September. The pop-up plaza will also serve as an ideation platform for the plaza’s future permanent design.
Gheesh. The Streets Cabinet spokesperson in a statement said that there was a community process and it’s a temporary plaza pop-up. You can read the statement below.
“After five years of community engagement, Plan: East Boston laid out a vision, based on community input and desires, that looks to change how traffic circulation works in Day Square, enhance safety, and improve the public realm. We see this temporary plaza as an opportunity for residents to talk with city planners about the future of Day Square and help people learn about the recommendations and gather input on how it should be implemented. The plaza will also feature programming coordinated by our partners, the Veronica Robles Cultural Center.
Changes to the streetscape to add more parking spaces could be part of any permanent changes to the roads and public spaces in Day Square as part of any later capital projects. We are also looking to engage the community around other potential changes to parking regulations in the area to make sure that they make sense for how they are used today and in the future.
We expect the plaza to be taken down after Open Streets East Boston in September.”
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Image is of rending of pop-up via City of Boston and Sasaki
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
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