BOSTON CITY LIGHTS PRO-DANCE CAMP
Acclaimed Boston-based dancer Carl Alleyne – an alum of City Lights – will be holding a free Pro-Dance Camp at City Lights on Washington Street next week.
Director Duggan Hill said the camp is free and the only requirement is those signed up commit to some hard work. Young people, he said, will get a lot out of the camp and learn a great deal from Alleyne, who has been a professional dancer for many years.
The camp runs from Tuesday, July 18-21 at the following times.
- July 18, noon-3:30 p.m.
- Weds., July 19, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, July 20, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Friday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To sign up, simply go to www.facebook.com/ProDanceCamp.
ROOTS: A NIGHT OF LIVE STORYTELLING IN THE GARDEN
Join PRX Podcast Garage and the Trustees for a night of live storytelling in the iconic Berkeley Community Garden in the South End.
The event will take place on Weds., Aug. 16, 6-9 p.m. at 500 Tremont St.
The evening will begin by meeting neighbors and guided storytelling, followed by a live performance of personal stories on the theme of “Roots.” Bring a picnic dinner with snacks available for sale. Free and open to all. No dogs allowed in the garden.
‘WAITING FOR GODOT’ AT CLUB CAFE
“Waiting for Godot” by Dave Hanson and directed by Paula Plum will be playing at Club Café in the Bay Village for select times throughout the month of July. The show features Gabriel Graetz, Robert Orzalli and Lauren Elias.
This madcap, laugh-filled love letter to the theater and hysterical homage to Samuel Beckett’s classic drama makes its Boston debut after critically acclaimed show runs in both New York and London.
According to The New York Times, it is witty, wise, and endearing, this is a show for theater lovers and haters alike.
Club Café is located at 209 Columbus Ave., in Boston. Audience members receive 20 percent off their total food bill at Club Café. In addition donations of non-perishable food items will be collected at each show for local charities.
All tickets for all shows are PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN. For tickets and more information visit www.hubtheatreboston.org.
JJAKE ART GALLERY CLOSES FOR JULY
JJake Art Gallery will be closed for the month of July, except by appointment. The owners will be taking some well-deserved vacation time.
To reach them, email [email protected] or call Elaine at 781-248-6341 to arrange an appointment or purchase.
On August 27, from 1 – 5 pm, the Gallery is inviting everyone to a reception for Pat and Larry Fay’s photography show entitled “Celebrate Boston!”. Light refreshments will be served.
SYMPHONY PARK CONCERTS SET
Fenway Civic Association and the Friends of Symphony Park in collaboration with Berklee College of Music and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department are delighted to bring the return of summer concerts to Symphony Park.
Concerts will be held four Tuesdays starting on July 11. All concerts start at 5:30 p.m. and are fair weather only. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy musical entertainment with neighbors.
These events are free and open to the public. Symphony Park is located at 39 Edgerly Road at the corner of Edgerly Road and Norway Street in the East Fenway.
List of performers is as follows:
July 18: Chris and Sam
July 25: Hunter Burgamy and Sarah Messias
August 1: Alea
BVNA GIVES STARBUCKS SUPPORT FOR PARK PLAZA SITE
The Bay Village Neighborhood Association (BVNA) Executive Board is lending their support for Starbucks to open in the Park Plaza and have limited outdoor seating. The neighborhood association will be sending a letter to ‘not oppose’ the opening of this coffee chain.
One concern was that it would increase the traffic at a spot that already receives a lot of Uber drop-offs but cited that it is more of a City and Park Plaza problem that they need to deal with.
CORTES STREET TROUBLES
Safety concerns arose in the Bay Village after a number of complaints were made to the Boston Police over troubles at 7–11 Cortes St. The building houses single-room occupancies for those transitioning from drug problems to independence.
The head of the Safety Committee at the Bay Village Neighborhood Association (BVNA) at an Executive Meeting on Monday, July 10, said that 25 calls this past month and a dozen in May were made to the Boston Police over disturbances.
The manager of the building has been very responsive and has hired a security firm in the evening to keep a watch out, hopefully squashing any more concerns.
Incident RAISES CONCERNS IN BAY VILLAGE
The owner of Jacque’s Cabaret at 79 Broadway, in the Bay Village, are having problems with three transvestites, headed by one commonly seen in a red dress.
According to the Safety Committee at the Bay Village Neighborhood Association (BVNA) Executive Meeting held on Monday, July 11, the triplet has allegedly been seen taunting and harassing the nearby residents and guests to Jacque’s.
The Boston Police are aware of the situation but do not have much power over the situation. According to a member of the Safety Committee, all the police can do is sit in their car and wait till one of the women does something.
The owner of Jacque’s has asked residents to join the next safety meeting, on Tuesday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at 230 Stuart St., to sign a petition to try and get the trio out of Bay Village.
ISABELLA STREET REVERSAL
A petition is out to get as many signatures as possible in support of reversing the direction of Isabella St., in the Bay Village.
In an effort to help calm the traffic that runs along Arlington Street the Bay Village Neighborhood Association (BVNA) has supported the change in direction of Isabella St., which currently lets out on Arlington St., right in front of a pedestrian crosswalk.
Drivers who exit Isabella St. run into a lot of traffic coming from the left and may not notice a pedestrian trying to cross Arlington St. on the right. In addition, many drivers who may be using Waze or another traffic and navigation app on their phone cut across Isabella St. to get to the I-90 entrance faster.
By changing the direction drivers would have to make the full loop up Columbus Ave., and back down Arlington St.
The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) is prepared to do the switch once the petition and a bare bones traffic study are complete.
FENWAY CENTER STALLS AGAIN
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is giving the developers behind the stalled Fenway Center project a three-month extension to finalize the state lease according to an initial report by the Boston Herald.
This puts construction and a $21 million payment to the state from the developers, Meredith Management, on schedule for this fall. The two-phase project expects to cost the developers $590 million to construct.
The on the land portion of the project to be located next to Yawkey Station was originally scheduled to begin construction this past spring. The overall project will include five buildings built above and alongside the Mass Pike.
The state has already given the developers a 99-year lease on the air rights above the Mass Pike and will receive the $21 million payment upfront when the lease is closed.
MassDOT said in a statement that they are continuing to have productive negations with the developer regarding this lease agreement.
This project has been in the works for close to 20 years and has endured a number of delays. But, it has gained support from the City with $4 million in property tax breaks according to the Boston Herald and has gained approval from the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
This past October, Meredith Management hosted a community meeting in the Fenway, where they proposed several changes to their design plan. At the meeting, John Rosenthal from Meredith Management said that their focus has geared towards beginning Phase 1 and gaining financing to support the construction of the deck and buildings in Phase 2.
RFP TO BE OUT FOR 151 LENOX ST.
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) Board of Directors will ask to put out a Request for a Proposal (RFP) for a community center or mixed used development at the 151 Lenox St. plot at the upcoming hearing on Thursday, July 13.
At a community meeting held on Thursday, May 25, where about 45 members of the public attended, there was an outpouring of support to place a new community center for the Tenants Development Corporation (TDC), a non-profit property management and development corporation, at the site.
The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA now BPDA) own the vacant parcel of land that is about 4,692 square feet. The site is located in the South End Urban Renewal area and is located in the Roxbury neighborhood for zoning for multi-family residential with retail.
A number of residents at the meeting spoke out against creating luxury apartments and spoke of the need to create a community center for the area.
The BPDA is recommending that the Board approve an RFP for a community center, mixed used development or other related community development use at the 151 Lenox St. parcel.
ADULT NIGHT AT RINGGOLD PARK
The Friends of Ringgold Park thought it’d be nice to hold a few adult Tuesdays in the park. The group is proposing the second Tuesday of July, August and September. The idea is to mix and mingle with neighbors – meet new friends and connect with old friends.
The next one is tentatively set for Aug. 8, from 7-8 p.m. in the Park.
HAYES PARK SUMMER PICNIC
The summer picnic in Hayes Park is scheduled for July 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Friends of Hayes Park will be grilling up burgers and hot dogs while the Stacey Peasley Band provides the music. Bring friends and a picnic dish to share.
TITO PUENTE CONCERT SERIES
Created in honor of Latin music icon, Tito Puente, this series is celebrating 11 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks.
This series is sponsored in part by Berklee College of Music, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, Zumix, Hyde Square Task Force, and Sociadad Latina.
Free salsa lessons led by MetaMovements at select concerts.
- Thursday, July 13, 7 p.m.
O’Day Playground, South End
Zayra Pola
- Thursday, August 3, 7 p.m.
O’Day Playground, South End
Conjunto Barrio