Dear Members and Friends:
Last week our beloved friend, neighbor, and community activist John Bookston passed away on October 8, 2023. John served on Fenway Civic Association’s board since 2016 and was generous in deed, kind in spirit, and compassionate and honest in advocacy. We keep you in our hearts, dear friend.
There is much to do this week: Wednesday join the public virtual meeting on the 1400 Boylston Street development to see the plans for this area and submit your comments. Thursday – check out the FCDC Career Fair. Friday, Drop into the BPL for coffee with Maggie Van Scoy. Saturday, help us mulch trees in the West Fens. Have you taken the surveys? We need to hear your voice – also, let your neighbors know it’s their chance to comment. And please mark your calendars for upcoming election, grant application and meeting dates.
Please take the Local impact survey – 2023 Fenway Park concert series sponsored by the Fenway Park Concert Neighborhood Committee. We need to know what you think: how were you impacted by the Fenway Park 2023 concert series? The survey asks for evaluation of the four areas of mitigation in the signed agreement for concert management: sound / transportation / trash & sanitation / impacts on public parks and pathways; BUT there’s an opportunity to give additional comments.
Survey link: https://forms.gle/i3RJseyHk7Y4rwNf8
Results will be shared at the Red Sox / Fenway Park Neighborhood Meeting on October 24 at 6:00pm in the Ford Clubhouse located on 72 Brookline Avenue. Thank you for participating.
We also need to hear your voice on the Fenway Transportation Action Plan survey (closed to comments on Oct 27th. See below).
THE WEEK AHEAD
Wednesday, October 18, 6 p.m-8 p.m 1400 Boylston Street (Development) Public Meeting | Virtual Meeting
The BPDA is hosting a Public Meeting for the 1400 Boylston Street project (current location of the Star Market, the “Station” and Star lower parking lot) in the Fenway, to discuss the Draft Project Impact Report. The meeting will include a presentation followed by Q&A and comments from the public. How to Participate: Please register in advance for this meeting through the following link: bit.ly/3RvAc01
Meeting ID: 160 342 2795
Toll-free call-in number: 833 568 8864
Thursday, October 19, 2023, 3 -7 p.m., Fenway CDC Career Fair, at the YMCA, 316 Huntington Ave, Boston. Job seekers, please sign up at
Check the website for a list of spoonors/partners and opportunities.
Friday, Oct 20, 10-11 a.m. Coffee Hour with City of Boston neighborhood liaison Maggie Van Scoy, Newsfeed Cafe at BPL Central Library 700 Boylston St. Maggie’s web page here.
Friday, October 20 – 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. MFA LATE NITES ARE BACK. The next edition of the MFA’s signature after-hours party celebrates new exhibitions across the Museum including Fashioned by Sargent and Strong Women in Renaissance Italy. From 8 pm to 1 am, MFA Late Nites guests can enjoy dancing and DJs, pop-up performances, exploring the galleries, art-making activities and more. Tickets required, fees listed on website.
Saturday, October 21, 10 a.m. – 1-2 hrs duration; West Fens Tree Mulching Volunteer Opportunity! Once again we thank student volunteers from Northeastern University and West Fens community volunteers! We will be mulching roughly 32 tree pits with 40 bags of mulch on St. Stephen Street, Symphony Road, and Gainsborough St.. We need a few more volunteers to help mulch Hemenway and Westland. If you can help/please reach out to the Fenway Civic Association via email fenwaycivic@aol.com. It’s a wonderful way to connect with NU student volunteers who do a lot for the Fens, and to meet your neighbors while giving the trees some TLC.
UPCOMING
Tuesday, October 24 6PM, Red Sox / Fenway Park Neighborhood Meeting in the Ford Clubhouse located on 72 Brookline Avenue. Have you taken the survey yet? Please do so before the meeting.
Thursday, October 26 LAST DAY TO TAKE the Fenway Transportation Action Plan survey. On Friday, October 27, the BPDA will be closing the Fenway Transportation Action Plan survey. If you have not yet taken this survey, please get your response in before the 27th! We all have stories of the challenges of transportation in the neighborhood, so it is essential that the BPDA know the experiences of Fenway residents. If you have already taken the survey, please encourage 3-4 friends in the neighborhood to respond to the survey by October 26th as well.
Saturday, October 28, 2023 is the NEXT Voter Registration Deadline.
The Municipal Election will be on November 7, 2023
MFA First Fridays, 6-9 pm Nov. 3rd and beyond; advance tickets available online. Starting this November, the Museum will welcome visitors from 6 pm to 9 pm on the first Friday of select months for an exciting evening of music, dancing, exhibition tours, art-making, signature cocktails and dining. Free for members, tickets required for entry, fee for non-members. Check web for dates and details.
December 1st deadline to apply for the Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant Berklee established the Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to support community-based projects and initiatives that contribute to the vibrancy and quality of life in the Fenway neighborhood. The application deadline is December 1st, and you can find more information, including eligibility requirements, here. If you are a neighborhood nonprofit, please consider applying!
ONGOING
Want to know what’s going on with the Muddy River Restoration Project? Check out the Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee (MMOC)’s refreshed web site: www.muddyrivermmoc.org for details on the project, current status and so much more! What an incredible transformation we have been witnessing; here’s where all the partners come together to share info. MMOC meets the second Wednesday each month, 6-7:30 p.m.
MBTA OCTOBER SERVICE CHANGES here
BPDA Design Vision Survey Take the survey to share your vision for design in Boston. Community Engagement taken through Oct. For survey info click :http://www.bostonplans.org/planning/urban-design/boston-design-vision . To take the survey, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y6HL5YS
Curbside food waste collection is here! (for smaller buildings) and
If you live in a big building, you can use Project Oscar community compost drop-offs located throughout the City to compost food scraps! Closest to Fenway is the Tobin Community Center at 1481 Tremont Street.
DEVELOPMENT LINKS for BPDA – PROJECTS
Visit BPDA’s website to see details on development projects. You can search by neighborhood, and by Project/Plan Status.
“Letters of Intent” 645 Beacon Street; 142-146 St. Mary’s Street
“Under Review”: 409 Huntington Avenue, 2 Charlesgate West, 1400 Boylston Street, and in neighboring Back Bay: Belvidere Student Housing (converting Sheraton Hotel south tower into student dormitory)
“Board Approved” are clear to proceed.
See you around!
Promoting a vital and sustainable neighborhood
Fenway Civic Association 