You Said It, Mission Hill!: 2014 in Quotes

“Boston has been called a ‘City upon a Hill’…but it’s not just the shining light of Beacon Hill…It’s Copp’s Hill and Mission Hill and Eagle Hill.”

Mayor Martin Walsh in his inaugural address.

 

“This is an important step in building the community’s vision for Roxbury Crossing and Mission Hill.”

Pat Flaherty of Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services on the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s approval of the Parcel 24 redevelopment into a mixed-use building.

 

“This is an ideal opportunity to minimize the invasiveness of urban sprawl while providing housing.”

Francie Hauck, who gardens at the site with her husband and son, on the redevelopment of the Art Park site between Parker and Terrace streets into 44 apartments and 58,000 square feet of green space.

 

“They’re representing this dichotomy that seems to have developed in the basketball culture of Mission Hill.”

Filmmaker Brian Culkin on the two brothers, Wayne and Baron “Tiny” Turner, highlighted in his documentary, “The Mission.” Wayne was a college and pro basketball star, while Baron ended up playing in prison basketball leagues.

 

“I’ve been working with the City for a better schedule, predictive service, plus better technology.”

City Councilor Matt O’Malley, who represents part of Mission Hill, on his belief that the city should expand its use of public trash compactors and recycling bins, explore the use of cutting-edge receptacles, and reevaluate litter fines to better manage litter.

 

“That place was a landmark…I hoped the property owner would have understood the need to talk to us.”

State Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, questioning the lack of notice of the demolition of the former Burke’s Tavern building at 804-810 Huntington Ave. in February.

 

“I was told by the City they didn’t want to put it back here. It caused too much conflict, too much controversy.”

Mission Hill Main Streets Executive Director Richard Rouse, on the potential return of a “parklet”—a temporary public park and sidewalk seating area—to Mission Hill.

 

“Why were we BRIC’s targets? What is the point of any of this? How did this monitoring help the city? BRIC’s silence on this speaks volumes.”

Robin Jacks, one of the activists who organized the 2011 Occupy Boston camp, on documents showing that the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, a controversial spy agency based at Boston Police headquarters on Tremont Street, tracked Northeastern University students’ involvement in the Occupy Boston movement, as well as academic events the spies admitted were not related to Occupy at all.

 

“Any crime that preys upon children, the most vulnerable and precious population, is reprehensible, but when the predator is in a position of trust, as Mr. Keller was as a pediatrician, it is particularly disturbing.”

U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, on the March sentencing of Richard Keller to six-and-half years in prison on child pornography charges. Keller was a Boston Children’s Hospital doctor at the time of his arrest in 2012.

 

“The U.S. Olympic Committee was very keen on Boston.”

City Councilor Matt O’Malley, who represents part of Mission Hill, on Boston’s being shortlisted as one of four cities being considered as the U.S. bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympic games.

 

“We’re very in touch with our flaws and our deficiencies, and we’re going to work really hard to fix them. The problems have evolved over the course of almost 60 years. It’s going to take a little while to fix them.”

Boston Redevelopment Authority Director Brian Golden on his plans following an audit that found the agency in need of reform.

 

“A giant is gone from Earth, but he lives on in our souls. He gave his life to the city in so many ways.”

State Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, on the Oct. 30 death of former Mayor Thomas Menino.

 

“He had a people antenna that was better than anyone I ever met…He would call me in to his office and ask who I was working on a project with, and six or seven times, he would say, ‘That’s a bad guy.’ And he was right!”

Former city Councilor John Tobin, reminiscing about Menino.

 

“I want to explore ways to reach out to them…I want to think about what the students need. They already have campus libraries.”

New Parker Hill Branch librarian Katrina Morse on her plans for the branch.

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