Allston-Brighton Volume S, Number 39 October 3, 1991 © 1991 Brighton Messenger Publishing Corp. 50¢ Two for the road Brian Mclaughlin and Con Hurley continue to tango on the campaign trail By Linda Rosencrance that a proactive councilor is more effective than a reactive one. I won'tjust react to an issue once it's on the table­ WithNovember'sgeneralelectionjustfourweeksaway, I'll bring the issues forward." four-tenn incumbent Brain McLaughlin and challenger Hurley said he was going to continue to "drop" cam­ Cornelius "Con" Hurley, are out on the campaign trail paign literature in every neighborhood and write articles "kissing babies" and "pressing flesh" in an effort to win the outlining his positions to distribute to A-B residents. District 9 City Council seat "I'm going to spend most of my time door-knocking," Hurley, who has blasted McLaughlin in the past for his Hurley said. "I want to get my message out to the people." lack of leadership, said, "I'm trying to let the people know Asked to comment on what issues he plans to focus on during the upcoming weeks, Hurley said he had several issues in mind but would outline them "down the road." McLaughlin's staff also plans to distribute literature focusing on his first two-tenns in office. "But we also want totalkaboutwhathe wants to do during his third tenn," said campaign manager Tom Philbin. McLaughlin said some of his major accomplishments District 9 City Council hopefu) Con Hurley include the recently implemented citywide newspaper Tom Brown photo recycling program. "I got the recyling initiative on the ballot for people on two years ago," he said. "It passed playground repairs; and getting tree limbs removed after the overwhelmingly and sent a message to City Hall that the recent hurricane. people favored recycling as a way to save the environment "People know they can go to Brian and he'll help them as well as to save money." solve their problems," Philbin said. "And if he can't solve McLaughlin is also proud of the fact that he led the fight them personally, he and his staff will find someone who can to keep the Dismct 'J tibran~ open. "Because of cuts in solve them." local aid, the city was going to close the libraries, but I As far as the future of Allston-Bnghton is concerned, fought to keep them open," McLaughlin said. "Other McLaughlin said he is working on a creative proposal to towns had to close libraries or make drastic cuts in library establish an Allston branch of the Boston Public Library. services in addition to cutting schools sports and other "We're working with Harvard University to secure space programs, but I made sure we made cuts in administration, for a new library as well as provide students to staff it," not services." McLaughlin said. "This would be a positive addition to the But, McLaughlin says he is most proud of the things Allston neighborhood as well as a positive link between the that don't aalways make the headlines, like helping con­ institutions and the community." Brian McLaughlin seeks another term as District 9 City stituents with their everyday problems; getting new traffic "I'm proud of my record," McLaughlin said. "It's not Councilor. lights installed on Western Avenue; getting abandoned always glamorous, but I enjoy helping people and I want to cars off the streets; helping to secure funding for parks and continue doing that." Lot of trouble been a constant source of problems for at least five years. "Every weekend patrons oflocal bars wake us up scream­ ''Lights, Camera, Neighbors up in arms over ing and yelling at 2 a.m. when they come to get their cars. I don't want to hurt [any business owners) but enough is Brighton'' raucous Harvard Ave. lot enough," Miller said. "That parking lot is a nuisance and as far as I'm concerned, the city has a responsibility to protect BHS auditorium renovation the quiet enjoyment of the neighborhood." By Linda Rosencrance Miller and the ACA have called on the city to use part of project needs funding the $150,000 - eannarked by the city's Real Property Allston residents are petitioning the city to fence-up a Department for improvement of the lot - to install fences By Linda Rosencrance municipal parking lot they claim is a public nuisance. that would be locked up at 9 p.m. According to Allston Civic Association (ACA) member Tom Miller, the lot, located at 125 rear Harvard Ave., has ConJinued on page 2 Two years ago community action saved Brighton High School from a proposed closing, and that same spirit carried the day last spring when 900 volunteers accomplished 23 projects throughout the school. This success has inspired BHS principal Juliette John­ son to try again this fall with, "Lights, Camera, Brighton," INSIDE a project to renovate the school's auditorium. "International Community Service Day (ICSD), made possible by the Sterling Foundation, built stronger relation­ ships between our students and staff, who represent 67 different countries," Johnson said. "The enthusiasm and •Street Talk: Weld proposal cooperation of the students was remarkable, even miracu­ on abortion lous." Page4 Johnson said, "Little miracles happen when students who attend a school participate in, and see first-hand, a • Beth Cahill on the volleyball community inspired improvement project" court for Mount St. Joe's Johnson added, "Flowers in the flower barrels have not Page 28 been destroyed. A repainted boys' lavatory has no new graffitiforthelasttwomonts ofschool. Teachers with some ~ grant money spend it on additional weight room equipment Con1inued on page 2 Page 2 The Journal October 3, 1991 Concern re: Pumping Station rehab won't wash away At the beginning of the year, MWRA officials had "I would rather see those vans kept in an outside lot, By Linda Rosencrance approached the communtiy with its plans to consolidate its equipped with a security fence," Pines said. operations at the Chestnut Hill facility. The proposed State Rep. Marc Draisen said the modified proposal is Residents of Allston-Brighton, Newton and Brookline project would have involved the rehabilitation of the two a vast improvement over the initial project "But, I still are not enthusiastic about the Massachusetts Water Re­ existing buildings, which have historic significance, and have three items on my agenda that the MWRA needs to sources Authority's (MWRA) plans to scale down the the preservation of certain historic equipment. address," Draisen said proposed rehabilitation of its Chestnut Hill Pumping Sta­ And although the new proposal significantly lowers "First, we need a firm commitment that they will not tion. the negative effects of the project on the three abutting install a microwave dish on the operations center," Draisen Legislators and community leaders met last week to communities, area activists are still not convinced the said. "Neighbors want them to go with hard wiring be­ discuss the Authority's "modified build" proposal. Under MWRA' s plan is a good one. tween the operations center and the Prudential Tower." this new plan, the MWRA would rehabilitate its Medford "I'm not happy with this compromise," said Brookline Last week Tom Gawrys, community relations director facility and keep its maintenance operations at that site. TownMeetingMemberClaireWaldmen."lthinkweshould for the MWRA, said the Authority has already decided to A computer operations center and water testing facility say to the MWRA, we think you 're wrong and we want you install the hard wiring rather than the microwave dish. would be located at the Chestnut Hill facility, on Beacon to recognize this. You're in the wrong place at the wrong Draisen also said he has requested the formation of a Street MWRA records will be housed in an on-site ar­ time." neighborhood advisory committee to work with the MWRA chives. State Sen. Lois Pines (D-Newton, Brookline) said, "I'm on designing thecomputercenter. He said that the committee Several weeks ago Allston-Brighton state Rep. Kevin not enthusiastic about the modified plan, but if the neighbor­ should have input in the actual construction of the center as Honan called the new plan "a major victory for the commu­ hoods want it I'll go along with it But, personally I find it well, nities." Honan said, "The modified build plan means that disheartening because of the way it began initially [with "Finally the communities need to know that this project there will be no heavy equipment coming in and out of the little, if any, community input]." is not a jumping off point for a more extensive project," neighborhoods; the MWRA will not build a proposed three­ Pines added she fears the immediate neighborhood Draisen said. "We need an agreement from the MWRA that story garage and 120 less people will be working at the site, could not sustain the heavy construction involved in this is it" than originally projected," Honan said "In addition, the building a proposed underground garage to house 24 The MWRA Board of Directors will vote on the project MWRA will also getrid of the existing pipe yard at the site." sensitive electronic vans. in one month. fireproof seats onto a carpeted riser platform; creating a fully functional theatrical stage facility by updating lighting Lot of trouble BHS project and sound systems as well as refurbishing the rigging and installing new stage blacks; cleaning, painting and repairing Continued from pagt 1 ConJinuedfrompage 1 the balcony section; and hanging drapes and banners to "The city has to take control of that lot at night. It has to because now there is a functioning weight room with some improve both the appearance and acoustics of the be done," Miller said.