Delaney Beaudoin

The Boston Guardian • 2nd December 2022

Winter Optics to Light Up Greenway

To bring a little light to the darker days of winter, the Greenway Conservancy has installed a new public art display named Winter Optics.

The installation is scattered throughout the entirety of the Greenway and will be available to view until March. There are no admission fees

The three local artists involved, Yolanda He Yang, Timothy Kadish and Ross Miller, in combination, have over 75 years of experience working in “custom, site-specific projects inspired by light.”

The Boston Guardian • 2nd December 2022

Is Hotel Buckminster A Pending Landmark?

Kenmore Square’s Hotel Buckminster is currently a pending landmark. Its fate, although undecided, will either end in preservation and restoration or demolition.

The Hotel was built in the late 19th century and permanently closed its doors in March of 2020.

The building was purchased by Life Sciences real estate developer IQHQ Inc. in November,2021 with the intention of renovating the structure into lab space. Because of inadequate ceiling heights, certain parts of the current structure would be required to be demolished to meet regulations.

The Boston Guardian • 18th November 2022

Fenway Cares Will Distribute 140 Turkeys

For the third consecutive year, Fenway Cares will be distributing Thanksgiving turkeys to the neighborhood. This year the organization has 140 turkeys to give away.

Fenway Cares is a collaborative organization between Audobon Circle, The Fenway Civic Association, The Fenway Alliance, The Fenway Community Center, The Fenway Community Development Corporation and Operation P.E.A.C.E. / Peterborough Senior Center.

The Boston Guardian • 18th November 2022

55 Bus Route Will Remain the Same

The 55-bus route will not change, despite the prior bus network redesign (BNR) proposal by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

The MBTA’s initial proposal sparked criticism from Fenway residents when they originally announced plans to change Route 55. The Route begins on Queensberry Street and ends at Kendall Square, instead of its current end at Copley.

“It was clear from all our public meetings as well as from the Red Sox study that residents in the West Fens seek connections to downtown,” said Marie Fukuda, Co-Chair of the Fenway Civic Association’s Parks and Open Space Committee.

“I am very grateful to the BNR staff who said they would be receptive to resident input and proved that they were.”

The Boston Guardian • 18th November 2022

Night Club Fire’s 80th Anniversary

What began as a typical lively Saturday night at Boston’s Cocoanut Grove Lounge on November 28, 1942, ended in the most tragic nightclub fire in U.S. history.

In remembrance of the estimated 490 lives claimed by the fire, The Cocoanut Grove Memorial Committee will be hosting a vigil on the fire's 80th anniversary. The vigil will be held on Monday, November 28 at 3pm at the nightclub’s former location on 17 Piedmont Street in Bay Village.

The committee is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 with the mission of ‘preserving the memory of the people who died, to honor the brave first responders and citizens who rescued those trapped inside and to recognize the breakthrough innovations in medicine and building safety.’

The Boston Guardian • 4th November 2022

Affordable Housing Nearing at Library

Issues of height and capacity dominated the West End Branch Library affordable housing reconstruction project at the sixth public meeting held by the city on October 26.

With slightly over 60 attendees, the meeting was moderated by Joe Backer, the Senior Housing Development Officer with the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) and by Priscilla Foley, Director of Neighborhood Services for the Boston Public Library.

The Boston Guardian • 4th November 2022

Great Boston Fire Was Preventable

November 9 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Great Boston Fire of 1872. It decimated Downtown Boston killing over 20 people and taught the city one of the hardest and most expensive lessons in its history.

Despite its seemingly unforeseen rampage, this fire could have been prevented, according to Boston-based author, Stephanie Schorow, “It was a disaster foretold. It was not a capricious act of nature,” she said.

The Boston Guardian • 21st October 2022

Portraits of Pride On the Common

Portraits of Pride is a public installation featuring 22, eight-foot-tall, photographed portraits of Bostonians who have been influential LGBTQ+ leaders. This exhibition is on display at the Boston Common near Charles Street until October 29.

The portraits depict individuals who have worked in various public sectors, varying from law to public service and the arts. These images were taken by famed

Olympic photographer John Huet, Among some of the 22 leaders are President of the Boston Public Library David Leonard, Executive Director of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce Grace Moreno, and Arline Isaacson, long time political lobbyist and consultant.

The Boston Guardian • 21st October 2022

Beacon Hill Halloween

Every Halloween Beacon Hill residents dress in costume, streets are barricaded and houses that have been elaborately adorned in festive decor offer trick or treaters candy.

The neighborhoodwide enthusiasm for the holiday, however, is not upheld by direction or requirement from a specific organization, but rather by the voluntary participation of its residents year in and year out.

“There is no real rally or anything, people just do it themselves,” said Wendy Oleksiak, Co-President of the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum and life-long neighborhood resident. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a neighborhood that gets as dressed up as Beacon Hill.”

According to Hillary Gabrielli, who lives on Louisburg Square, the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) has only a minor role in the planning of the festivities each year. “The BHCA is only dealing with the placement and removal of the barricades for safety issues,” she said.

The Boston Guardian • 7th October 2022

Fenway Alliance Promotes New Co-Executive Director

The Fenway Alliance has promoted former Assistant Director, Genevieve Day, to the position of Co-Executive Director. Day’s promotion marks the first time in the organization's history that it will be led by two women.

Established in 1977, The Alliance is a ‘consortium’ of 22 cultural and academic institutions in Fenway. The group works closely with the city and government agencies in the development of the Avenue of the Arts and The Fenway Cultural District.

The organization cites its mission to “create innovative and relevant programming that supports local artists and entrepreneurs while allowing improved access to the unique offerings of the Fenway to the greater public.”

The Boston Guardian • 7th October 2022

Downtown Does Not Have the Most Trees

Although trees abound throughout the downtown neighborhoods, Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury have the greatest tree canopy according to a recent report by the City of Boston. The two neighborhoods have 43% and 41% respectively, which is above the city average of 27%.

The areas with the least coverage are under 10%. They are South Boston and East Boston.

The tree canopy coverage of downtown neighborhoods ranks Back Bay and Beacon Hill at around 19% coverage, the South End at around 17% coverage and Fenway at around 16% coverage. To increase and preserve the amount of ‘tree canopies’ throughout the city, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the creation of a new Forestry Division.

The Boston Guardian • 23rd September 2022

Restaurant Giants To Open Fish Market

Legendary restaurant partners Chef Jamie Mammano and real estate developer Paul Roiff are planning to open a fresh fish market by mid-to-late spring 2023.

The pair have opened six famed Boston restaurants together including Mistral, Ostra, and Sorellina, Although still in the early stages, Mammano and Roiff will open the market at 1744 Washington Street, the current location of the pizza restaurant, Laz Cafe, owned by Roiff.

According to Mammano, the idea came as a natural extension to their small fish company used to supply their restaurants with fresh fish for the past 15 years.

The Boston Guardian • 23rd September 2022

FCC’s Executive Director Steps Down

The Executive Director of the Fenway Community Center (FCC), Robert Kordenbrock, recently stepped down, leaving his position unfilled. Kordenbrock joined the FCC in 2018.

The FCC, a non-profit organization located on Boylston Street, regularly hosts community programming in its building’s space. The organization’s mission is “to serve as a gathering place to share information, deliver programs and provide services that enrich the lives of all Fenway residents.”

Kristen Mobilia, Treasurer on the FCC Board, commented on Kordenbrock’s past service to the organization.

“Robert was at the community center for a number of years and helped us navigate through the pandemic, which was a big feat,” she said. “Robert, as anyone does, wants to take on a new role and explore other parts of his professional path and we are very happy for him. He helped tie things up and organize things.”

The Boston Guardian • 23rd September 2022

Girl Scout Troop 65321 Has an Unusual Status

Girl Scout Troop 65321 consists of 11 girls from Beacon Hill and the Back Bay.

Since the troop’s creation over a decade ago, they have achieved the level of ‘Ambassador’ within the organization, performed countless acts of community service, traveled internationally, and are currently pursuing the highest Girl Scout award, known as the Gold Award.

Troops are typically affiliated with schools. However, Troop 65321’s neighborhood affiliation is unique, with the eleven members attending seven different schools in total and spanning multiple age groups.

The Boston Guardian • 9th September 2022

Local Seniors Seek to Publish Their Memoir

A group of Boston residents known as The South End Seniors have collectively written a memoir which totals over 200 pages, titled South Enders Remember: Life and Times of Our Neighborhood.

The group has plans to make the work available online via the South End Public Library and Historical Society websites and is also in the beginning stages of publishing the work as a book.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, The South End Seniors held weekly meetings on Tuesdays in person at Haley House Soup Kitchen on Dartmouth Street.

Originating in 2008, the group had seen its member numbers steadily growing over the years until meetings suddenly came to a halt with the onset of the Covid-19 lock down in 2020. To continue meeting, the group improvised and began to host their gatherings over Zoom.

The Boston Guardian • 9th September 2022

Arline Isaacson Receives 2022 History Maker Award

Beacon Hill resident, Arline Isaacson, has been granted the 2022 HistoryMaker Award.

The History Project is a Boston organization dedicated to documenting the history of New England’s LGBTQ community.

The award ceremony was held on September 8 at the St. Botolph Club on Commonwealth Ave.

The HistoryMaker Awards have been held annually by The History Project since 2009 to recognize LGBTQ+ community members and organizations who make history every day.”

When asked about what the award recognition means to her, Isaacson replied, “I'm thrilled, and I'm honored, I love the History Project because they are The, with a capital T, organization working to achieve and to archive and to collect information about the history of the LGBTQ community in this state.”

The Boston Guardian • 9th September 2022

Women’s Forum Begins Sept 13

The Beacon Hill Women’s Forum’s (BHWF) 2022-2023 season will start on September 13. The first Forum speaker of the season will be Leslie Adam, Board Chair of Friends of Public Garden.

BHWF is a nonprofit social club designed to inspire and create connections among neighbors in the Beacon Hill Area.

In addition to hosting monthly forum meetings which feature speeches by notable Beacon Hill residents, the organization also hosts monthly book group meetings, lunches and group activities.

“There's just an unending amount of opportunities for people to jump in,” said Wendy Oleksiak, Co-President of the Executive Board. “One of the things that I think is really nice is that at every event you're going to be mingling with a wide variety of ages.”

The Boston Guardian • 9th September 2022

New BAA Building Named For Elma Lewis

The Boston Arts Academy (BAA) recently completed construction of a new building to be named after Dr. Elma Lewis, a celebrated Boston arts educator and civil rights activist who utilized art to instill positive change in the city’s community.

A Roxbury native, Lewis founded the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts in Roxbury in 1950, Franklin Park’s Playhouse in the Park in 1966 and the National Center of Afro-American Artists in 1968.

Denella Clark, the BAA Foundations’ CEO and President, noted the parallel of Lewis’ work to that of the academy.

“Elma Lewis’ impact not only as an arts educator but also as a civil rights activist is a testament to our mission to help shape and mold artistic scholars who share their talents and education with their community,” said Clark.

The Boston Guardian • 9th September 2022

O’Reilly Statue Gets Rehabilitation Funding

After spending years in disrepair, The John Boyle O’Reilly Memorial Statue has been awarded two grants totaling over $80,000 to cover conservation costs.

The statue, near the intersection of Fenway and Boylston Streets, was created in 1896 by Daniel Chester French. The artwork honors the life and influence of John Boyle O’Reilly who was an Irish activist, journalist, and poet who actively fought against the prejudice that Irish Immigrants, African Americans, Native Americans and other groups faced during his lifetime.

According to an audit conducted by the city’s conservator, Daedalus, Inc., the statue, which is a part of the City of Boston’s public art collection has been visibly in need of maintenance since 2003.

The Boston Guardian • 26th August 2022

FPAC Supports Work & Lives of Local Artists

For 43 years, Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) has been fostering a growing community of Boston arts and artists. The nonprofit organization currently has three gallery locations, alongside several artist studio spaces and housing initiatives across the city.

“Our first Gallery was at 300 Summer Street, which is still there and then our second gallery opened at Atlantic Wharf, which is just across the channel next to the Federal Reserve Bank. Then we have a third gallery, which is pretty active. It's called Assemblage, and that's in the Envoy Hotel over in the Seaport,” said Duane Lucia, President of the FPAC Board of Directors.

Although the organization has several different programs and initiatives, its main goal is to facilitate the work and lives of local artists, who may otherwise find it difficult to find work in their craft.

The Boston Guardian • 26th August 2022

New Sculpture to Attract Pollinators

A new sculpture by Boston artist Erin Genia entitled Tuhmagatipi, has been installed on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway’s Wildflower Meadow, near the parking garage by Faneuil Hall.

The work, which is named after the Dakota word for beehive, was designed with the intention to acknowledge and aid the meadow’s natural pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, beetles, etc.

The decision to display Genia’s work on the Greenway came from a collaboration between the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, a city group which collaborates with various organizations across Boston to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change.

The Boston Guardian • 12th August 2022

Harpoon Has Been A 36 Year Staple

Harpoon IPA, owned by Mass. Brewing Company, was created by three college friends who, after developing a taste for European beer in their post-graduation travels, decided to bring the unique brew method of the IPA back to the east coast.

Opening a brewery in the Seaport in 1986, where it still resides to this day, Harpoon has since grown to become one of the most recognizable names in craft brewing as it dared to introduce New England to the hoppy heavy taste unique to the IPA, a previously uncharted flavor territory for the area.

Having operated one location in the Seaport for 36 years, the company also purchased a second brewing and retail location in Windsor, VT in 2000. Mass. Bay Brewing Company and the Harpoon IPA brand have been amidst and bore witness to the vast expansion of the district in recent years.

The Boston Guardian • 12th August 2022

Eversource Is Ready For Increased Usage

The rapid expansion in the Seaport district that has resulted in an increased demand for electrical energy was preemptively predicted and planned for by Eversource Energy.

According to Juan Martinez, engineering manager at Eversource, these plans are made up to a decade in advance.

“My department actually looked at the ten-year window. For the Seaport area, specifically, we knew the load was coming basically prior to 2015.”

Martinez and his team are responsible for the planning of electrical substations, structures that convert high-voltage electricity into a lower voltage that may then be distributed for residential use and alike.

The Boston Guardian • 12th August 2022

SEBA Hosts Expanded Annual Sidewalk Sale

The South End Business Alliance (SEBA), a volunteer organization representing and supporting the network of businesses and nonprofits in the South End, is hosting its annual Sidewalk Sale from August 12 to 14.

The sale will include businesses, restaurants, and residents of all kinds participating in a neighborhood-wide ‘tag sale’ taking place directly on the sidewalks and streets of the South End.

Whereas the event used to be primarily for businesses and restaurants in the area, according to Randi Grohe Lathrop, SEBA Government Relations Board Member, this year SEBA invited everyone residing in the South End to participate.