Your South Boston Newsletter from Haley Dillon

South Boston highlights from your South Boston Liaison, Haley Dillon.  Sign up to receive the complete Your South Boston Newsletter directly in your inbox. NEW PLAY LOT OPENED AT MEDAL OF HONOR PARK IN SOUTH BOSTON The McGrath Family joined the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and fellow South Boston residents of all ages to open a new play area for children ages two to five built in memory of their beloved son, Colin. The 2021 park renovation includes age-appropriate play equipment, safety surfacing, site furnishings, landscaping, and upgrades to drainage for the splash pad. Construction costs were $217,500 funded by the Mayor’s Capital Improvement Program and a generous donation by playground equipment manufacturer Kompan. The design team of Kyle Zick Landscape Architect Inc and the contractor Haven Contracting Corp - EJ O'Sullivan made the plans a reality. Learn more.

City Announcements EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS IN BOSTON FOR 2021 MUNICIPAL ELECTION The early voting period for the 2021 Municipal Election takes place from Saturday, October 23, through Friday, October 29. During that time, voters registered in Boston will be able to cast their ballots in person before the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 2. Any voter registered in Boston can vote at any early voting location. You don’t need an excuse or reason to vote early.   Nearby early voting:  Condon School (200 D St.) this Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm.  District Hall (75 Northern Ave.) on Thursday, October 28 from 12pm to 8pm.  Learn more about early voting. MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES SWIM SAFELY PARTNERSHIP, AN INITIATIVE TO INCREASE WATER SAFETY FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS Mayor Kim Janey announced the Swim Safely Partnership, aimed to increase access to swimming lessons, especially for those who have faced historic and economic barriers. Mayor Janey made the announcement today at Roxbury’s YMCA, an organization participating in the multi-part community strategy. This initiative seeks to increase swim safety by offering free YMCA swim lessons for children and adults, expanding the lifeguard workforce through free training, and plans to implement a pilot program that offers free swimming lessons for Boston Public Schools (BPS) students at some schools as part of the curriculum. Learn more here. NEW DEVELOPMENT REVIEW GUIDELINES LAUNCHED TO REDUCE TRAFFIC, CONGESTION Mayor Kim Janey announced that the Boston Transportation Department, in partnership with the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and the Environment Department, has launched guidelines for new developments over 50,000 square feet, which will facilitate a more efficient and transparent development review process. As part of the new guidelines, developers of large projects must complete a demand management point system tool to increase access to sustainable transportation for their tenants. Learn more here. MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES GRANTEES OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND COMMUNITY GRANTS  Mayor Kim Janey and the Mayor’s Office of Food Access (OFA) announced the distribution of $2.2 million in grant funding to 39 local, non-profit organizations through the Food Sovereignty and Community Grants programs, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Through the five Food Sovereignty grants awarded, 500 Boston residents and 11 community-based sites will receive raised beds and 1,800 subsidized Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes will be provided for older adults and adults with disabilities. Submit proposals by Oct 29. Learn more at bit.ly/foodaccessRFP. BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY HOMEWORK ASISTANCE PROGRAM The BPL's Homework Assistance Program (HAP) offers free after-school homework help, mentorship, and activities for students Grades K-8. Attend in person or online for help in English, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Learn more at https://bpl.org/homework/.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE BOSTON PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY’S WORK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? Sign-up for emails by interest, neighborhood and adjacent neighborhood (South Boston Waterfront and South Boston) or citywide to receive notifications about upcoming public meetings, development projects and planning studies, and the latest news from the BPDA:  http://www.bostonplans.org/about-us/get-involved Follow the BPDA on social media for project updates, information on upcoming public meetings, and news about our work:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BostonPlans Twitter: https://twitter.com/BostonPlans Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bostonplans/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bostonplans

Your South Boston Liaison, Haley Dillon

Born and raised in South Boston, Haley attended Gate of Heaven and Boston Latin Academy, and received her Bachelors of Arts in Communications from the University of Maine at Orono. Read More.