Colleen T. Buckley is the 2023 Quinn Scholar
To the Editor,
As we approach our 55th years of awarding College Scholarships, we are pleased to announce the Colleen T Buckley is the 2023 Quinn Scholar. Colleen is the fourth recipient from Boston Latin Academy. During her career at BLA, she had a combined sat record of 625, and maintained an A- in her grades.. In addition she played varsity softball from grades 10-12. On another score for recipients, Colleen becomes the 28th female recipients and the 29th from the Boston Public Schools.
Another first for this distinguished townie, she will be the first Quinn Scholar, at the University of New Hampshire. Colleen will be enrolling with the class of 2027, in the Peter T Paul College of Business and Economics. Indeed the Wild Cat’s will be blessed with her presence. She has demonstrated a burning willness to give back. With her sister Emma, they are the daughters of Gerard and Bridget Curtin Buckley.
On 6/25/2023 at a luncheon with her parents, she will be given the first $ 16,000.00, Quinn Scholarship.
The philosophy of George Bernard Shaw, capture Colleen’s character“ The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”
Regards,
Ronan J FitzPatrick
Treasurer
PLAN: Charlestown
To the Editor,
Over the last several years, the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) has been developing a comprehensive planning initiative to shape the future of our neighborhood: PLAN: Charlestown.
The Charlestown Preservation Society (CPS) has supported the process and the goals set for the outcomes. The release of the final draft is now live, and with a heavy heart, we are asking you to oppose the current plan.
The document is an impressive body of work with many strong ideas for the creation of affordable housing, open space and new development. However, it contains new concepts that contradict its original goals and intention to positively shape the future of our neighborhood and disregards the many comments CPS and others have submitted around the protection of historic Charlestown.
Our concerns lie within the PLAN’s inability to protect the historic character of our neighborhood, its use of “aspirational goals’’ rather than data-backed recommendations, the City of Boston’s and the MBTA’s inability to responsibly plan necessary infrastructure and services, and its disregard of previous regional planning processes.
For example, a few of the PLAN proposals:
• Adding 10+ million more square feet than a 2019 regional Planning study used as a basis for planning mobility in the region.
• A 2019 Lower Mystic Regional Planning Study indicated that Charlestown could add eight million square feet, this plan greatly exceeds that.
• Doubling the existing building heights on Main Street (at the Bunker Hill Mall) from 35’ (3-stories) to 70’, 90’ (8-stories) on Austin St and School St and 150’ (14-stories) on Rutherford Ave.
• Previous drafts proposed 50’ along Main Street and 90’ on Rutherford, and the community clearly stated that the proposed heights were too tall for the abutting context of the historic neighborhood.
• Increasing the building heights between Medford Street and the Mystic River (below historic Doherty Park) from what is now 55’ to 180’. (Taller than the historic Schrafft’s tower)
• Previous drafts proposed a max building height of 50-120’ (the scale of Charlestown’s industrial waterfront.) The final draft raised the heights despite clear planning recommendations for 120’ max and community concerns.
• The PLAN uses aspirational goals to reduce personal vehicle use by 50 percent. That number is not based on data, planning or forecasting.
• The planning consultants have stated that even if this happens, traffic and gridlock will increase and back up into the neighborhood.
The BPDA is closing out the PLAN: Charlestown process prematurely in order to approve development projects. Public comments are due by Sept. 6, a “close-out” meeting is scheduled for Sept. 11 and zoning amendments produced from the PLAN will go in front of the BPDA board for approval Sept. 16.
We have lost faith in the process and our comments have been ignored. Charlestown deserves a thoughtful, well considered plan that meaningfully seeks to preserve, grow and enhance the neighborhood, its infrastructure and services responsibly. This draft is not that plan. We ask that you join us in opposing PLAN: Charlestown for these reasons.
Charlestown Preservation Society,
Amanda Zettel
Richie Banerji
Darrell Villaruz
Chris Doggett
Nora Blake
Ryan Gavin
Lisa Ha
Marley Kanda
Ellen Kitzis
Pippa Nava
Chris Remmes
Tiffany Riddle
Molly Stern