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Centre Street in Jamaica Plain was so pedestrian today, and it was great
By adamg on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 3:44pm
From Jackson Square to the Monument, Centre Street in Jamaica Plain today was turned into the sort of long block party that previously only Newbury Street in the Back Bay had had (more are planned for other major streets this summer).
With no cars allowed on Centre Street, what better use for the municipal parking lot opposite the Curley than a food-truck stop?
Singing "La Bamba" in front of the old Blessed Sacrament Church:
Several chess tables were set out in front of JP Licks:
Across the street, was an even larger chess set:
Note: Despite what Twitter thinks, the video below is not in the least "sensitive" - it just shows some kid doing a cartwheel right down the middle of Centre Street:
We love JP Open Streets!
@02130News @MayorWu @universalhub #OpenStreetsBoston pic.twitter.com/UksY4C1rmw— Emily P. Bauernfeind (@emoparker) July 10, 2022
Pedicab drivers worked the stretch, offering free rides to weary walkers.
One woman found a way to relax above the crowds:
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
Fields Corner next Saturday July 16
Also, not mentioned in the list of future events, is the Little Saigon Night Market next Saturday the 16th.
Dot Ave will be closed in Fields Corner from 2:30 to 9, with the event happening between 4 and 9.
https://www.bostonlittlesaigon.org/about-3
It would have been nice if
It would have been nice if they publicized the pedi-cabs in advance. And had a way to call them if you live on a connecting street that only connected to or from Centre.
Let's make it weekly!
Just right. Great for people and local businesses.
look north
lets follow Montreal and make it last all summer.
Loved it - did the beer garden at Loring Greenough open?
Really enjoyed the event today. I wish there were more activities in the shade though... it was really sunny + hot nearly the entire route. Along those lines, did the beer garden at Loring Greenough house materialize? I saw it on the schedule, but when I passed by there were only kids activities at the lawn.
This was such a fantastic
This was such a fantastic event! Everyone was out on the street. We saw neighborhood folks we hadn't seen in months, which was a total joy. Great food, live music, kids and dogs everywhere having a blast. After about three hours out, we were exhausted, but happy as could be.
Glad Everyone Had Fun, but Bikes?
I see someone on a bike.
Bicyclists are not pedestrians. By their very nature they are vehicles.
How can the city allow that if the area was for pedestrians only?
You must be really fun at
You must be really fun at parties John. Good lord man - get a life.
If you attended you would see that the event was for pedestrians and bicyclists. They even had the street separated for the 2...luckily no one got run over by all those toddlers on bikes...the adults didn't run anyone over either. People were actually walking with bikes - OMG - the horror!
It was a highly successful event - where businesses were selling out. Restaurants & food trucks were packed and everyone was having a great time.
It goes to show you that closing streets down to cars in a main street district doesn't kill businesses in fact it's just the opposite. I hope they do it weekly. It's about time we have a city for residents and not just their cars.
Car Free Streets
It wasn't just for pedestrians. The Open Streets Boston website says the following:
"Experience Boston in a whole new way through Open Streets! Join us for a fun-filled day of walking, biking, skating, rolling, and family friendly activities on car-free streets."
"Open Streets Boston is a collection of free, family-friendly events. During these events, the City of Boston will close major thoroughfares to motor traffic, opening them for pedestrian use including walking, rolling, biking and to connect with neighbors and local businesses. Open Streets Boston is a project of the City of Boston."
https://www.openstreetsboston.org/
Should have established a clear bike lane in both directions.
I walked there and am glad bikes were allowed* but I did see plenty of times the right of way was fully blocked by pedestrians and would not have made for easy riding. They should have established a clear bike lane in both directions it would help a lot.
I'm glad bikes were allowed on a car free street because cars also kill people on bikes, but bikes do not kill people walking.
Why are you like this?
They can allow bikes by
They can allow bikes by saying that bikes are allowed. In fact this is exactly what they did.
Was this a problem for you? Did you have any near misses where you had to stop short while walking, or a cyclist had to do a panic stop for you, or you had to sprint across the street during a brief gap in the flow of bicycles?
I Love This
I say one thing just to piss people off for fun and out come Adam's Allowed Anons and the usual "How Can You Be Like This?" people come out of the woodwork.
Absolute Comedy.
Yeah...
...right.
I will give you
that you at least admit you're a troll, unlike some of the others.
Circle the City
This had been tried about 8 years ago (or maybe longer), it even occurred multiple years. Why is it that the Circle the City events were just one or two times? Lack of money, lack of engagement?
Edit: This is the first reference that comes up in Google search.
https://patch.com/massachusetts/backbay/announcing-circle-the-city-bosto...
Edit 2:
Tried to use Google search with custom time range of universalhub.com and there doesn't appear to be any coverage of Circle the City from 2010-2014.https://www.universalhub.com/2013/many-people-enjoyed-street-fair-along-...
One or two of those were on upper Blue Hill Avenue
which is hosting another next month.
Well, we did elect a certain "car guy" to office in 2014
That may have had something to do with it.
Idling
Do cops really need to be at every tiny intersection with vehicles idling? no, is the answer I have for that.