MAXFIELD & COMPANY (617) 293-8003 REAL ESTATE THE MYSTERY OF MUSIC IS STILL ALIVE AT 80, PAGE 4 Vol. 28 No. 7 24 Pages • Free Delivery BOOK YOUR 25 Cents at Stores POST IT Jamaica Plain Call Your Advertising Rep Printed on (617)524-7662 Recycled Paper AZETTE 617-524-2626 • WWWG.JAMAICAPLAINGAZETTE.COM APRIL 12, 2019 CIRCULATION 16,000 WINNIE THE POOH KIDS JPA opposes marijuana store on Centre Street BY LAUREN BENNETT on April 1 to hear the contentious proposal, where not one person The Jamaica Pond Association spoke in favor of having the estab- voted on April 1 to oppose the rec- lishment at this location. reational marijuana establishment Brian Bairos, CEO of Giving proposed for the site of the AAA Tree Health Center, Inc. gave a Appliance building at 769 Centre brief presentation about the pro- St. Community members were posed dispensary. He said that packed into the meeting room at First Baptist Church on Centre St. Continued on page 9 BPDA approves Green Street Project BY JOHN LYNDS The developer, City Realty, will redevelop 11,726 square feet of The Boston Planning and underutilized commercial and res- Development Agency (BPDA) idential land by combining two approved a Jamaica Plain project existing parcels at 197-201 Green on Green Street at the board’s St. Photo by Mike Mejia March meeting. According to its ruling, the The Curley K-8 School put on an exciting ‘Winnie the Pooh KIDS’ show on April 1 — dancing, The BPDA board approved the BPDA commented that the project jumping on and off the stage and running through the aisles to the delight of students and $2.25 million project at 197-201 will revitalize the area by replac- parents. More than 40 students from grades 3, 4 and 5 put on a dynamic performance in the Green St. that will create 23 resi- ing the vacant commercial land school-wide play. See Page 7 for more photos. dential units – including income-re- and single-family dwelling with a stricted artist live/work units near Documentary about Dominican Republic draws huge crowd Green Street MBTA station. Continued on page 8 BY LAURA PLUMMER “Pinky” Pintor and financed by of sugar and alcohol...” This imag- Dominican bank BHD León, the ery introduces the 90-minute film RUNNING TO THE BEAT On Monday, April 1, a diverse film celebrates the rich cultural her- that takes viewers on a visual and group of almost eighty peo- itage of the Dominican Republic. It musical odyssey of the Caribbean ple packed the basement of the is named after a poem by the same nation of almost 11 million on the Connolly Branch Library for a name by the late Dominican poet island of Hispaniola. special screening of the documen- Pedro Julio Mir Valentín, better This Spanish-language film tary “Hay un País en el Mundo” known as Pedro Mir. with English subtitles is currently (There’s a Country in the World), Mir’s poem opens “There is a being shown as part of a nation- with more trickling in as the night country in the world situated in wide tour organized by the Global progressed. the sun’s path, native of the night, Directed by José Enrique located in an unlikely archipelago Continued on page 2 Película sobre República Dominicana atrae una multitud LAURA plUMMER la noche. Julio Mir Valentín, mejor conoci- Dirigida por José Enrique do como Pedro Mir. El lunes 1 de abril, un grupo “Pinky” Pintor y financiada por El poema de Mir comienza: Photo by Mike Mejia diverso de casi ochenta personas el banco dominicano BHD León, “Hay un país en el mundo colo- JP’s Jeffrey Ferris running barefoot past Wendell Warriors, an llenó el sótano de Connolly Branch la película celebra el rico patri- cado en el mismo trayecto del sol. African percussion group, on Williams Street during the 23rd Library para ver una proyección monio cultural de la República Oriundo de la noche. Colocado Annual Emerald Necklace 5-Mile Road Race sponsored by especial del documental “Hay un Dominicana. La película tiene el Doyle’s Café on Sunday, April 7. More than 1,100 runners turned País en el Mundo”. Otras perso- mismo nombre de un poema del out for the spring run – and as far as we know – only one was nas llegaron mientras progresaba fallecido poeta dominicano Pedro Continued on page 3 barefoot. See Pages 18 and 19 for more photos. 2 • Jamaica Plain Gazette • APRIL 12, 2019 O’Malley talks environmental issues at JPNC meeting BY LAUREN BENNETT are some pretty good projects in “I really appreciate what you all and though the Zoning Committee p.m. at Farnsworth House. the pipeline that are coming down do,” O’Malley said to the JPNC at voted to approve it, the applicant The Jamaica Plain and we need to hold the developers the end of his presentation. “What requested to defer at the ZBA PUBLIC SERVICE Neighborhood Council (JPNC) to it.” you guys do is really important.” hearing. JPNC member Michael held its monthly meeting on O’Malley also discussed the At 79 Jamaica St., the pro- Reiskind said that the Public March 26, where they heard an MBTA fare hike, saying that “it is COMMITTEE REPORTS ponents are requesting to erect Service Committee met on March update from City Councilor Matt beyond frustrating” that any of the a new two-family dwelling—“the 5 and mostly discussed protected O’Malley and provided committee Hyde Park rail stations cost over ZONING: largest building on the street”— bike lanes (especially on Centre updates to the public. $6.00. “It’s frustrating because we JPNC member David Baron on the “smallest lot on the street,” and South Streets) that they had Councilor O’Malley, who is a talk about equity and fairness— presented the Zoning Committee according to Baron. He said the discussed at a previous meeting. huge proponent of environmental these are Boston neighborhoods report, saying that all items that proposal is “quite out of scale with He said they have asked the city to matters, said it’s an “exciting time who are paying three times what were spoken about have already the other houses on Jamaica St,” come talk about it more at the April in the city and in JP,” and discussed they should be,” he said. He said been before the Zoning Board of and called it “offensive,” as this meeting, but Director of Planning a variety of environmental issues that people would generally be Appeals (ZBA), so there would proposal does not have a rear yard for the Boston Transportation and policies that affect the neigh- more receptive to a fare increase if be no votes from the full council setback even though other houses Department Vineet Gupta cannot borhood. A gas leaks bill—the first it led to better service, but he said on this. on the street have backyard space. make it until the May meeting, of its kind in the state—has passed, it doesn’t. At 3231 Washington St., the He said he believes it would cast so that’s when he will be there to O’Malley said. He also talked “We need to make a case proponents requested a change of the neighbors in shadow. A num- discuss the bike lanes and answer about the plastic bag ban, which to legislators outside of Boston occupancy from two residential ber of residents spoke out against questions. Reiskind also said that he said JP was an “early support- that a good system is healthy for units to four, and renovate the this at the ZBA hearing and the they are going to compile the annu- er” of, is “already seeing tangible the state,” he said. He said that kitchen, bathrooms, and systems Zoning Committee voted to deny al list of JP streets, crosswalks, and results,” with fewer plastic bags increased service will result in more within the triple decker. They pro- the application, but the ZBA grant- bike lanes needing repair. The next seen in trees and storm drains, riders, which makes transportation posed to either paint or replace the ed the zoning relief requested. Public Service Committee meeting he said. He also spoke about the across the city more sustainable. existing siding, as well as install Finally, at 106 Forest Hills is April 2, at Curtis Hall. notion of net zero carbon and the He also talked about dedicated bus a sprinkler. Baron said that at the Street, the proponents originally work that is being done on that lanes, calling them “remarkable” zoning meeting, there were some proposed to demolish the existing EDUCATION front especially when it comes to and saying that the city needs more people who were concerned with building and erect a new three JPNC member Trevor Wissink- zoning and development issues. He of them, as they will help expedite things like density and parking. story building with nine residen- Adams provided the Education said that they are “still committed service to transportation deserts. The Zoning Committee voted to tial units with balconies and roof Committee update, saying that at to curbside composting” as well. O’Malley also discussed the approve the project with the provi- decks and twelve off-street parking their last meeting, they discussed O’Malley also said that the community choice energy pro- so that the pope space next to the spaces. A new description from a some of the priorities that they council is also looking at road safe- gram, which gives residents more building be landscaped or fenced handout passed out at the meeting would like to set for the upcoming ty, adding that the ‘West Roxbury control over the type and price to prevent off-street parking.