The Audubon Circle Neighborhood Association (ACNA) will be shacking up with new board members and a new president coming soon.
The board was elected at the ACNA annual meeting on Thursday, March 29, at Ruggles Baptist Church. The new president will be elected at the next ACNA board meeting on Tuesday, April 17.
“After six years of service, I’m stepping down as president along with three board members,” said Michael Nichols. “I want to thank them all for their hard work.”
At the meeting State. Rep. Chynah Tyler surprised Nichols with a citation for his tireless commitment to the Fenway neighborhood.
“It’s not easy to look at different tasks and matters and continue to see them through,” said Tyler. “I’ve been to a lot of grand openings and ribbon cuttings around the neighborhood since taking office, and the difference is that you took each issue and really stepped up to the task.”
At the meeting there was an update on transportation issues including the Audubon Circle redesign, which is starting back up after the winter.
Alex Monreal, who was on the Transportation Committee said that crews ran into some utility problems in one corner of Audubon Circle, delaying the project slightly. But it is still on schedule to be completed by this November.
In addition a new green left turn signal will be installed for cars trying to turn onto Park Drive. The aim is to stop cars from creeping into the intersection to make that dangerous turn.
The light currently remains green for the entire time, leading drivers to think that they can continue to take a left turn. Having a left-turn signal, Monreal hopes will curb the problem.
Since the Audubon Circle redesign started, Monreal said that the neighborhood didn’t lose more parking spots than was expected, which was 14 to 16 total. They also lost an additional three spots when the protected bike lane went in along Beacon Street.
The ACNA worked with the city to secure what was once commercial parking spots and changed them into residential to make up for the lost of the three bike-lane spots.
Yissel Guerrero, the Mayor’s neighborhood liaison to the Audubon Circle neighborhood, said that with the warmer weather, the new flex posts that divide parking from the bike lane will be installed soon. This will help with cars double-parking in the bike lane and make it safer for bikers who want to use it.
The flex posts were not put in for the winter months because the snow plows needed to have the area cleared for salting and plowing.
At the meeting, Guerrero went through the top complaints filed over the past year using the 311 app. Out of the 260 submitted complaints, 166 got closed. On top of the list were potholes with 52 complaints, followed by snow plowing, parking enforcement, street light outages and empty litter baskets.
Also at the meeting was an update on The Landmark Center Food Hall and park construction by Peter Sougarides, principal with Samuels & Associates.
The park will continue to be under construction throughout the spring and summer. They hope to open it up to the public by September or October, depending on how fast the new plants take root.
The Food Hall, which is currently under construction, is expected to open next spring.
Samuels & Associates are currently working on meeting with different artists to figure out an outdoor sculpture for the park.
At the end of the meeting, eight people were elected to the Board of Directors with one seat still left open.