WEDNESDAY JULY 14, 2021 Artists chosen for BLM mural in Lynn Elm Place By Allysha Dunnigan Jason Reyes of Lawrence. The duo then researched these artists’ ITEM STAFF Garrido said she is excited to see what websites and social media, checking the these artists will do for the city and for scale of their work and how colorful it developers still LYNN — The six artists who will the Black community. was. paint the Black Lives Matter mural on In choosing these artists, Prudencio “We wanted a different style from Essex Street, running from Lynn Dis- and Garrido made a request for quota- each of them,” Garrido explained. under re in trict Court to City Hall, on July 24 and tions (RFQ) and made the positions for Prudencio said he and Garrido then 25 have been chosen. volunteers, artists and engineers avail- chose the artists based on their skills The leaders of this project — English able. and their experience with mural work Swampscott High School graduates Carlos Prudencio After friends, family and community and the Black Lives Matter movement. and Damianny Garrido — selected art- members shared these positions online By Tréa Lavery One of the Lynn artists, Spencer, was ITEM STAFF ists Michael Aghahowa and Jah’Nyah and by word of mouth, Garrido said involved with the city’s Raw Art Works Spencer of Lynn; Mike Grimaldi, Anna they had 10 artists’ applications by the SWAMPSCOTT — In a contentious com- Dugan and Miguel Cruz of Salem; and time the RFQ was closed. BLM, A6 munity meeting held Tuesday night at Swampscott High School, representatives from the company developing a mixed-in- come housing project on Elm Place pre- WIN for LYNNFIELD RESIDENTS sented more changes to their site proposal. Representatives from WinnDevelopment explained that in addition to signi cant Saugus design changes presented at another com- EVACUATED AFTER GAS LEAK munity meeting last month, they had now included 11 designated visitor and em- veterans ployee parking spaces in the site design, along with other amenities intended to By Sam Minton encourage residents to use alternative ITEM STAFF modes of transportation. “There’s a big discussion about park- SAUGUS — A group of ing and traf c. The more parking spaces, veterans are a little bit the more cars you have. The more cars closer to heading to Wash- you have, the more traf c you have,” said ington, D.C., thanks to Adam Stein, executive vice president at WIN Waste Innovations. Winn. “What we’re trying to do is build an The company donat- ef cient building at a Commuter Rail sta- ed $7,500 to Veterans tion.” of Foreign Wars (VFW), The original proposal for the building in- Post 2346, which is fund- cluded 128 units and 108 parking spaces raising for its third “Roll in a ve-story building with a very mod- to D.C.” trip for local vet- ern design. In the June meeting, Winn pre- erans. The donation from sented a new design proposal, which went WIN is the rst half of down to 120 units and up to 124 parking what will be a total dona- spaces, with a “New England coastal” ar- tion of $15,000 from the chitectural design which better match- organization throughout es the traditional buildings in town. The the year. building is also shorter, ranging at differ- Dennis Gould, who is ent points from two stories to four and a coordinating the trip, said half, and taking advantage of the grade the donation will allow decrease of the ground near the back of for 15 veterans to travel ITEM PHOTO | ANNE MARIE TOBIN the property to lower the building’s roof. to D.C. without worrying While the June meeting — held over about paying their way. Several residents in the area of Summer Street School were evacuated Tues- Zoom — was fairly positive, with many With a goal of $70,000, day morning following a gas leak. participants praising the design team’s according to Gould, the changes, Tuesday’s meeting had a com- group still has some way By Sam Minton and Street School and immedi- during construction. Anne Marie Tobin ately we called National Grid “We did go door to door pletely different atmosphere, with resi- to go, but WIN was able dents often loudly interjecting during the to kickstart the group’s ITEM STAFF to the scene,” Fiorentino said. and evacuated some of the Fiorentino said, as a pre- surrounding buildings and panel’s presentation to criticize the size efforts. Overall, the and scale of the proposal and share con- LYNNFIELD — Construc- caution, several residents homes in the neighborhood VFW has raised close to tion crews at the Summer cerns about traf c impacts. $28,000 for the trip. from nearby homes were to make sure they were safe,” Street School may have dug evacuated, but no injuries “The issue for everyone in this room is Bob Faia, of WIN Waste Fiorentino said. “We did ex- it’s too big for our little town,” one partici- a little too deep Tuesday were reported. Innovations in Saugus, tensive testing and there pant said. “Do you see any ve-story build- morning. He said National Grid said that they are hon- was absolutely no gas in any ings in this neighborhood? There aren’t Fire ghter Jeff Fiorentino worked on repairs with the ored to be able to support of the houses we checked. any.” said the department received assistance of some members the trip. “At no time was anybody Gilbert Winn, CEO of WinnCompanies, a box alarm call at 7:52 a.m. of a construction crew who “As we recently celebrat- in danger. There were no gas explained that the project had to be that reporting a high-pressure ed Independence Day, we have been working at the readings in any houses and size in order to get necessary funding and gas-line leak at the school, are especially cognizant of site for about three weeks the gas was contained to the resources from Massachusetts under the located at 262 Summer St. the fact that the freedoms on a $17 million elementary construction zone and the state’s 40B law, which promotes the build- we enjoy every day have “A high-pressure gas line school expansion project. The gas company did come down ing of affordable housing developments. been guaranteed by the was struck in the front park- property has been fenced off sacri ce of our veterans ing lot area of the Summer and is closed to the public GAS LEAK, A6 ELM PLACE, A6 over the years,” said Faia. “We are sincerely grateful and happy to play a role in our local veterans ex- 125th celebration lights up Revere periencing this trip to the Council nation’s capital.” The fundraising is aimed at ensuring that approves the “trip of a lifetime” will cost no money for the veterans. The itiner- $580,000 ary includes visits to the Vietnam Veterans Me- morial and Tomb of the for Barry Unknown Soldier where they will have an oppor- tunity to lay a wreath, as Park well as re ect and have a By Allysha brief ceremony. The group Dunnigan will also be staying at An- ITEM STAFF drews Air Force Base. “We also go to every LYNN — The City military monument and Council voted unanimous- memorial there is in the ly Tuesday night to ac- town,” said Gould. cept funds to assist with Gould said that this trip $580,000 worth of planned is important for veterans, renovations at Barry Park as many of them have yet within the next year. to see these memorials; he PHOTO | JOE BROWN The state’s Executive added that visiting these Of ce of Energy and Envi- Gov. Charlie Baker displays the state citation he will present to Mayor Brian Arrigo marking ronmental Affairs award- VETERANS, A6 the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Revere Beach. For story and more photos, LOOK at A8. ed the city $400,000 last summer under the Park- land Acquisitions and INSIDE Renovations for Commu- Now, that’s the ticket in Nahant nities (PARC) grant pro- Opinion gram, which offers reim- Free community college the Google Play Store or the Apple space upon arrival. bursable grants to cities By Sam Minton can make workers ITEM STAFF The Department of Conservation and towns to support the App Store. smarter and our The goal of adding this option is & Recreation (DCR) said that “the preservation and resto- NAHANT — Next time residents country richer. A4 to minimize traf c at the entrance goal of utilizing contactless parking ration of urban parks. head to the beach reservation, they gates, which should also cut down revenue collection at state parks LOOK! The city will cover the will have a new way to pay for their across the commonwealth is to en- rest of the cost — $180,000 parking. on traf c in the area. While visitors The Wall That Heals is to Nahant Beach can pay for park- hance the visitor experience, pro- welcomed into Nahant. — through the Commu- Nahant Beach Reservation, along vide a modern/convenient payment nity Development Block ing in advance, they are strongly A8 with nine other properties, will now method, limit face-to-face contact Grant (CDBG) program. encouraged to wait until arriving be accepting parking fee payments between park staff and visitors and Sports This money will go before buying a pass, as pre-pur- via YODEL, a mobile application Gallant Tournament that can be downloaded through chased passes do not guarantee a PARKING, A6 ends after 36 years.