South Boston community comes together for neighborhood

Leaving a packed community meeting at the Curley Community Center on South Boston’s Day Boulevard on Monday night, I noticed many people were inclined to keep the informative conversation going about the future of the renovations at one of Boston’s most best utilized recreation facilities. The broad range of activities at “The L,” as it’s often called, includes everything from working out on exercise machines, saunas, outdoor swimming and handball to senior citizens programs. People seemed very satisfied with the staff and were anxious to learn more about repairs and the future of the Community Center.

Plans are tentative at this stage and perhaps the reason why the meeting was so well attended. Representatives of Mayor Marty Walsh, City Councilors Michael Flaherty and Eddie Flynn, Congressman Steve Lynch and construction consultants all participated with the audience throughout the two-hour discussion. We heard passionate presentations by residents about senior citizens activities, handball, exercise and children’s events. The local press, South Boston Online, Caught in Southie and South Boston Today, as well as reporter John Monahan from Fox 25, were on hand to capture the evening’s lively discussion.

But as I remarked to neighbors while leaving the meeting, “This was a very informative evening, but what I really took away from it was seeing and listening to so many longtime residents along with many newcomers to South Boston who were united in their concern about the future of their neighborhood.” The meeting brought the community together like I haven’t seen in a long time and made everyone feel good about the future of our neighborhood. Age differences, race or how long you lived in the community was not an issue at the meeting, but how we can best all work together to preserve this “jewel” in the city that has brought so much joy to so many families throughout Boston over many years.

But like I told some of my friends and neighbors while Kathy and I were leaving the Community Center, “This meeting was a good show of support and unity for our community. Everybody working together. And it will be all our children and grandchildren who will be the beneficiaries of this vibrant city recreation center.”

I thought about all those early Boston residents, from throughout the city over the years, who attended countless meetings and worked for fairness and better opportunities for their children, families and neighbors.

Now, that’s the Boston I am proud to call home.

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Ray Flynn is a former mayor of Boston and U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

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from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2mN5bJ4