Love Your Block Fort Point Style

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) is pleased to announce Love Your Block Fort Point Style, creating a living tapestry of flowers, vines and community. Love Your Block, formerly known as Boston Shines, is a citywide volunteer spring clean up and beautification project. 

Come volunteer and beautify your neighborhood. No green thumb required. Find out more at the Love Your Block planning meeting Monday, April 10th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Factory 63 located at 63 Melcher Street. If you have any questions, please contact FPNA. 

With the continuous support of Fort Point businesses and residents, FPNA is celebrating their thirteenth annual spring planting and beautification event. Fort Point Businesses will be invited to volunteer in their work neighborhood during lunch on Friday, May 12th from 11 am - 2 pm (tools, gloves and lunch provided). In support of our artist neighbors and the upcoming Fort Point Art Walk that weekend, Fort Point Residents Volunteer Day will occur Saturday, May 20th from 10 am - 3 pm. 

Make Fort Point Shine: April 29 - April 30

HELP MAKE FORT POINT SHINE

Mayor Marty Walsh’s Boston Shines is a neighborhood clean-up event to celebrate spring in Boston’s neighborhoods.  Please join the Fort Point Neighborhood Association for our 12th annual Fort Point Shines as we plant, sweep and rake our way into spring. Tools, souvenir t-shirt and gardening gloves are provided. No green thumb required.

We invite our Fort Point businesses to participate on:

Friday, April 29
11 am - 2 pm
Spend your lunch hour outside. We provide lunch.

Details  Any questions, contact FPNA

We invite our Fort Point residential neighbors to participate on:

Saturday, April 30
10 am - 3 pm
After Party in Wormwood Park at 5 pm
Sign Up

New this year, residents may sign up as an individual or a team whether it be a group of friends or by residential building, you decide.  Don't want to get your hands dirty? You can support us in other ways. The lovely vines and flowers on A Street and in Wormwood Park need attention. Please help us repair some winter damage and create the loveliest tapestry of greenery ever! Donations are gratefully accepted by check or when you register. 

Related posts
originally posted 4.15.16

FPNA April Fort Point Gathering: New restaurants, New Developments & Spring Flowers

Tuesday, April 26, 2016 6 pm Factory 63 63 Melcher St. Special Presentations 10 Farnsworth (formerly known as 338 Congress) Residential Condominiums Tom Calus & Jas Bhogal, TCR Development & Massport South Boston Waterfront Real Estate Updates Michael  Vatalaro, Massachusetts Port Authority introducing Chloe a vegan restaurant 101 Seaport Boulevard requesting a beer & wine liquor license with Neighborhood Updates and Boston Shines Fort Point Style *** featured restaurant and tasty treats by Buco Trattoria ***

Springing Into Action

Updated 4/5/16
Fort Point is getting cleaner this spring. Street cleaning starts today on A Street street. In addition, Binford Street (from A Street to the Fort Point Channel) will have street cleaning every Tuesday 9 am - 1 pm from April through November. The odd side of the street (closest to Gillette) will be the first and third Tuesdays starting April 19th due to the April 4th snowfall and the even side is the second and fourth Tuesdays starting April 12th. 

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association is holding Fort Point's 12th annual Boston Shines April 29th - April 30th. Fort Point businesses are invited to participate on Friday, April 29th from 11 am - 2 pm and Fort Point Residents on Saturday, April 30th from 10 am - 3 pm. Boston Shines Fort Point style creates a living tapestry of flowers, vines, and community along A Street. Volunteer today and help beautify your neighborhood. No green thumb required. If you have any questions, please contact FPNA.

Are your New Year's resolutions a distant memory? If getting more involved with your community is still pending on your list, there is plenty to offer on Civic Engagement Tuesday, April 5th, There are public meetings to envision a new Dot Ave Corridor, discover whether the South Boston Bypass Rd could re-open to non-commercial traffic and talk about the benefits and impacts of the Boston Grand Prix.

Civic Engagement Tuesday: April 5, 2016

Boston Grand Prix City Council Hearing: Councillor Linehan called for a hearing to be held on the Boston Grand Prix stating the importance for City Council to give residents a voice in the process and examine the impacts on the neighborhood. The Committee of Arts, Culture & Special Events will be holding the public meeting (docket # 0442) at  City Hall, Iannella Chamber, 5th Floor at 3 pm. You may also submit written comments and questions to CCC.AC@boston.gov and Councilor Linehan prior to the hearing. Councilor Michelle Wu is taking questions beforehand on twitter. Tweet #QsforIndyCar @wutrain. Written comments may be part of the public record and are available to all City Councillors in advance of the hearing. Attend or watch live on Comcast 8/RCN 82 or on the web.

South Boston Bypass Road & HOV Pilot Program Results & Feedback Meeting: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) invites the public to attend a meeting to provide South Boston Bypass Road and HOV Pilot program results and gather public feedback. The public meeting will be held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, room 154 from 6 pm – 8 pm.

Dot Ave Corridor: Draft Plan Elements & Implementation Strategies The Dot Ave Plan is an opportunity to think strategically about the types of uses and scale of development best suited for the future of this transit corridor. The goal of the planning study is to create a vision with the community and to establish guidelines that will result in a comprehensive plan that informs new zoning for future development. This is the seventh in a series of workshops. The workshop will take place at Iron Worker Local 7 located at 195 Old Colony 
from 6 pm – 8 pm.   

originally posted 4.1.16

FPNA March Meeting: Councillor Essaibi-George, Hot Topics & Boston Shines

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association invites all neighbors to attend their upcoming neighborhood meeting, Join the conversation and welcome our newest City Councillor-At-Large, Annissa Essaibi-George, to Fort Point on: 

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

6 pm – 8 pm

 Factory 63

 63 Melcher St.

  

featuring special guest

Councillor-At-Large Annissa Essaibi-George

with

Neighborhood Hot Topics

Binford Street Cleaning, Boston Grand Prix, Northern Avenue Bridge, South Boston Waterfront Municipal Plan, 7 Channel Center St. & more...

and

Spring into Shines

A spring planting event along A Street & Wormwood Park 

Business Volunteer Day is April 29th. Resident Volunteer Day is April 30th.

Please note new dates for Boston Shines.

FPNA February Neighborhood Gathering: Northern Avenue Bridge, Shines, Wine & More

Fort Point Neighborhood Meeting

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Factory 63 (63 Melcher St)

6:00 pm sharp

State of The Northern Avenue Bridge

Greg Galer, Executive Director

Boston Preservation Alliance

Boston Shines Kick-off

Attorney General Free Community Services

FEMA Corps: Flood Map Zone Insurance Changes

and introducing

Mayhew Wine Shop

20 Melcher Street

requesting a package store liquor license

plus

Neighborhood Updates

Street Sweeping Boston Shines Saturday

Fort Point Boston Shines

Saturday May 9th

NO PARKING

9 AM to 4 PM

A Street/ Melcher St/ Binford St

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association in conjunction with Boston Dept. of Public Works, Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services and P & G Gillette have arranged for a thorough street sweeping effort of the above roadways in the Fort Point Neighborhood during Boston Shines.

P& G Gillette parking lot 10 at the corner of A & Binford Streets will be open for parkers seeking an alternative venue during this time.

Neighbors are invited to sign up for Fort Point Shines team anytime between 10 am and 3 pm at Wormwood Park (Wormwood & A Streets) to plant, rake and sweep our way into spring.

Fort Point 11th Annual Boston Shines Next Weekend

City wide neighborhood clean-up to celebrate spring and Boston’s neighborhoods.  

Join the Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) for this neighborhood event to make Fort Point Shine!

Local businesses meet on:
Friday, May 8th, 2015 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Wormwood Park (Wormwood & A Streets)
Lunch is included for company employees planting tree circles and panel vines. 

Neighbors meet on:

Saturday, May 9th  10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Wormwood Park (A & Wormwood Sts)

Sign Up to Volunteer

After Party picnic will take place in Wormwood Park starting at 5 pm.

Food and refreshments are generously donated by Fort Point restaurants and local businesses. The City of Boston will provide rakes, trowels, gardening gloves and a free t-shirt! Wear outdoor attire. 

If you have any questions, please contact Cam Sawzin at camsawzin(at)gmail.com or Charles Joseph at charlesjos(at)aol.com. 

Make Fort Point Shine This Sunday

After last weekend's inspiring FPAC Spring Open Studios, we invite you to create your own artistic vision by joining the Fort Point Neighborhood Association's tenth annual Fort Point Boston Shines. Boston Shines is a community-wide volunteer program to plant, sweep, and rake our way into spring. The event originally scheduled by the City for the Saturday of Open Studios, will take place:

Fort Point Boston Shines

Sunday, May 18th

10 am - 3 pm

Wormwood Park (A St & Wormwood St)

After Party at Wormwood Park starting at 5 pm.

Meet at Wormwood Park for coffee and pastries. Tools, rakes, trowels, gardening gloves, and a free t-shirt provided by the City of Boston. Green thumb not required!

We will be continuing the planting started by fifty enthusiastic volunteers from local Fort Point businesses who had fun designing their own tree garden circles and street panels along the fence last Friday. We are thankful for their tremendous efforts; however, there are still tree circle gardens and street panels to plant.

After digging in the dirt, you will be rewarded by an After Party in Wormwood Park at 5 pm. Volunteers and their families are welcome to attend. Food and refreshments are generously donated by Barrington Coffee, Barlow's Restaurant, Pastoral, Sagarino's and Southie Liquors.

Sign up to be part of the Fort Point Neighborhood Team.

Together let's make Fort Point Shine!

Fort Point Neighborhood Association Celebrates 10th Annual Boston Shines

Mayor Marty Walsh’s Boston Shines event is a neighborhood clean-up to celebrate spring and Boston’s neighborhoods.  

Please join the Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) in this neighborhood event to make Fort Point Shine!

Local businesses meet on:
Friday, May 9th, 2014 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Wormwood Park (Wormwood & A Streets)
Lunch is included for company employees planting tree circles and panel vines. To sponsor and to volunteer, please visit FPNA. 

Residents meet on:

Sunday, May 18th* 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Wormwood Park (A & Wormwood Sts)

*new date due to heavy rains forecasted for Saturday, May 17th

After Party will take place in Wormwood Park starting at 5 pm.

Food and refreshments are generously donated by Fort Point restaurants and local businesses. The City of Boston will provide rakes, trowels, gardening gloves and a free t-shirt!

If you have any questions, please contact Cam Sawzin at cam.zin(at)verizon.net or Charles Joseph at charlesjos(at)aol.com. 

updated 5.12.14

Boston Shines This Saturday

Always a fun event. Thanks to Cam for organizing again. She does a great job every year.

Boston Shines

Sat., 4/28

Starting at 10AM

Meet in Wormwood Park

 

---

Dear Neighbors,

We have our best "Shines" yet planned. It's an enjoyable way to meet your neighbors and do a little urban gardening. The neighborhood cleanup and planting is on Saturday, April 28th. There is a Friday planting event for local businesses and those who can't make the Saturday cleanup. If you would like to come on Friday, let me know so we can plan food and drinks.  Here's the link to "Shines" on our website: http://fortpointneighborhood.org/current-projects/boston-shines/

This year we are doing an expanded vines and tree project-(with lots of interesting blooming vines and flowers) with options for local companies to adopt tree circles and vines panels. Jennifer Amadeo Holl has done a great job working with Southie trees, who have donated $200. for much-needed mulch.  Charles Joesph and neighborhood angel Danielle Pillion have spent a lot of time helping to organize the event this year and I extend my heartfelt thanks to them both.

Our killer party will be at Wormwood Park and set up is at 4:30. Food and refreshing beverages will be donated by local restaurants and shops as usual. We are meeting in Wormwood Park (not Binford) at 10 AM. Sagarino's has offered a free drink (coffee or a cold drink) and a muffin. Just say you are doing Shines. Do NOT ask for the free items unless you are :-) Maybe we'll have a secret hand signal. Barington's is also providing coffee for those on the other side of the neighborhood. 

A Street will be unrecognizable on Monday! (Seriously).

Best,

Cam Sawzin

P.S. there is a smart phone app called citizens connect which is an extremely effective way to snap a picture of an issue-trash, etc and report it to the city. I tried it on the A Street fence and two days later it was cleaned. 

Boston Shines Updates

Update on tomorrow's Boston Shines from Cam. See original post for full details.


=====
Greetings-
Just a few more notes for this weekend-

1. Chris Vaillancourt has generously offered to be the point person for 300 Summer Street and designed the cheerful poster.
2. Caroline has asked that we be very careful in Wormwood park because of fragile plants not yet visible so- NO raking, just very gentle removal of trash, dog products, etc.
3. We REALLY need food/tool pickup (coffee from Sagarinos, soil etc.) and logistical help.
4. Tools are now in the back of Channel Center and will be brought out to Binford park around 9:00
5.  The meeting place  is at Binford Park on Sunday at 1:30, but everything, tools, soil from Commonwealth Ventures, tools from back of Channel Center, coffee etc. will be moved to Wormwood when we start working. We need people to help right at 1:30, so please let me know if you can make it then. I have a recording session and will try to be back by 1:30, but it would b e great if there were specific people ready to step in.
6. Folks who couldn't help this weekend are warmly invited to the party and perhaps can help with party setup, or bring a little something in case we have more people than expected. Please let me know if you are available to do this so I can delegate specific tasks.

Looking forward to a great weekend!

Best,
Cam Sawzin

Boston Shines: Next Saturday (4/30)

A big thank you to Cam Sawzin for organizing again!

Boston Shines
Neighborhood Clean Up and Party
Saturday, April 30th, 9:30

 

UPDATE: Meeting time Sunday tbd (probably 11:30 or later)

=====

"Shines" schedule:
Traditional cleanup with the city on Saturday April 30th. We will meet in Binford Park as we did last year at 9:30 AM. It would be great to have a meeting place and tool drop off at 300 Summer, but someone needs to commit to be there and distribute tools. Coffee and muffins provided on both days.

SUNDAY shines/ vines planting, same meeting place starting at 1:30 unless I hear from folks about an earlier time preference

There will be a small hangout with snacks on Saturday but the main "Shines"/May day Party will be on Sunday, May 1st in Wormwood park, starting at 3:00 or so, depending on how long the vines take.

We need help with food pickup, party set up, tool distribution, organizing equipment and directing volunteers on the Summer/Congress Street side of the neighborhood.


1.The recently opened, unique and funky gourmet food shop "American Provisions" has enthusiastically committed to provide appetizers for the after party and Andy Fadous, one of the owners looks forward to meeting you all.
2. Cheryl has generously offered a donation for the vines from Spaulding Tougias and the USPS will also contribute.
3. Southie Liquors is in for wine. Lennie, the owner, did a great job for us last year.
4. Sagarinos is in as always for coffee and snacks for the morning, and beer for the party.
5. Pat's Trattoria on West Broadway will provide delicious calzones.
6. The cool new Aussie take-out/catering shop, K.O will send up fresh Aussie pies.
7. Joyce at the Channel Cafe is cooking up something special.
8. Barlows will make us a huge salad.

The post office has already cleaned a lot of the trash. Tony Mcguire, the new maintenance guy seems very cooperative and thinks the vines are a good way to send the message that A Street is not a dump. The vines are mostly okay. Planting them right against the fence with no planters will work with the snowplows.Commonwealth Ventures will contribute a work force and planting supplies.

Looking forward to a great turnout and perfect weather!

Warm Regards,

Cam Sawzin
Outreach Chair, Fort Point Neighborhood Association
www.fortpointneighborhood.org

Boston Shines Saturday, Please Come!

It's that time of year again.  Thanks to Cam for organizing again.  It's always a good time and the neighborhood looks great afterwards.   Photos from last year's Boston Shines.


-----

Please join FPNA and FPAC for a Neighborhood Clean-Up

Saturday, April 24th
Starting at 9 am

2 meeting locations: Barlow’s and 300 Summer St.

4pm after party at Wormwood Park




Goodies from Flour Cafe, Franklin Cafe, Mamtaz Gourmet, Sagarinos, Southie Liquors, and Sportello.
Additional support from USPS, Cheryl Tougias, Pat Costa.

Questions or suggestions? Please email: cam.zin@verizon.

Photos from Boston Shines

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped clean up Fort Point. And thanks to Cam for organizing again this year. The neighborhood looks great!

Boston Shines Tomorrow!

Greetings Neighbors-

It’s that time again- Boston Shines is on Saturday, April 25th.
Please move your cars it would be great to get at least some of them moved from behind Channel Center and Midway, if possible so we can do some work on that area. The USPS should be cleaning it as well but no guarantees. FYI -inspectional services will be going behind those buildings in the near future to tow unregistered and abandoned cars. Gillette has offered free parking in their Binford lot starting Friday evening. Contact number is 617-463-3211, Bill Taylor.

Last year’s event was a huge success. The tree mulching team did an amazing job on our local A Street fauna, and the after party was great.

We will gather at 9AM. As always there will be coffee and pastries in the morning somewhere on Channel Center Street. There will be signs posted with the exact meeting location, and the after party will start at around 5 pm. Updated info will also be available on the FPNA website blog, Fortpointneighborhood.org. If anyone has questions or suggestions please send an email to cam.zin@verizon.net, or call 617-797-2307.

It would be helpful if a few people could transport goodies to 300 Summer, the other tool drop off and gathering site. Local restaurants (Lucky’s, Sagarinos etc) have been generous about providing snacks and beverages. So far Barbara Lynch’s Sportello has offered food for the after party, Lucky’s has given pizza and beer, Sagarinos will do coffee and pastries and wine, Salvatore’s also will send pizza and Franklin Southie will provide sandwiches. There will be other offerings announced tomorrow when we meet.

The clean up is a great opportunity to get to know new and old neighbors. We all well know this kind of commitment sends a message to stakeholders (the USPS for example) and elected officials, but that shouldn't be the only reason we buff up Fort Point Channel.

The weather is on our side!

Photos from last year:

http://fpna.blogspot.com/2008/04/photos-from-boston-shines.html

Boston Shines Neighborhood Cleanup, Sat. 4/25

Greetings Neighbors,

It’s that time again- Boston Shines is on Saturday, April 25th. Casey Hines, the Mayor’s South Boston Liaison has asked us to give her an idea of how many tools we’ll need, special requests, and the number of volunteers.

Last year’s event was a huge success. The tree mulching team did an amazing job on our local A Street fauna, and the after party was great.

We will gather at 9AM. As always there will be coffee and pastries in the morning somewhere on Channel Center Street. There will be signs posted with the exact meeting location, and the after party time and location info. Updated info will also be available on the FPNA website blog, Fortpointneighborhood.org. If anyone has questions or suggestions please email me at cam.zin@verizon.net, or call 617-797-2307

It would be helpful if someone could transport goodies to 300 Summer, the other tool drop off and gathering site. In previous years, local restaurants (Lucky’s, Sagarinos, etc) have been generous about providing snacks and beverages. So far Barbara Lynch’s Sportello has offered food for the after party and there will be other offerings announced soon. The clean up is a great opportunity to get to know new and old neighbors. We all well know this kind of commitment sends a message to stakeholders (the USPS for example) and elected officials, but that shouldn't be the only reason we buff up Fort Point Channel.

Hope we get the great weather we had last year!

-Cameron Sawzin

Photos from Boston Shines

The cleanup:



The Party:

Fort Point Shines

We'd like to thank all of the volunteers who came out and helped clean up the neighborhood as part of Boston Shines, especially Jennifer Amadeo-Holl, who organized the tree mulching. The neighborhood looks great!

We'd also like to thank the city, especially Casey Flynn from the Mayor's office, for getting all of the brooms and shovels and having the street sweeper crew pickup all of the collected dirt and trash; we gave them a lot this year. In addition, thanks to the local businesses for donating supplies for breakfast and the party:

flour
St. Alphonzo's Kitchen (aka Potbellies)
Kimball Borgo Real Estate
Sagarino's Market
Salvatore's
LTK
Lucky's

And of course, our own Cam Sawzin for organizing another successful cleanup.

Boston Shines Globe Article

From Scores helped to clean up the city:

...Near the Fort Point Channel in South Boston, neighborhood residents cleared debris from tree beds that lined A Street and spread new brown mulch around the trunks.

"The wonderful thing about this is that there are artists her, there are new residents here, people that have a lot of money and people that don't," said Cam Sawzin, a 3-year resident of the neighborhood and an interim board member of the Fort Point Neighborhood Association, which helped organize the group clean-up effort.

About two dozen residents from the Fort Point neighborhood lined A Street and swept and shoveled litter and debris into the street just ahead of a street sweeper that picked up the waste.

"I think this neighborhood has so much potential to be a vibrant part of the city," said Dan Palese, a resident of the neighborhood who helped remove trash from A Street with his family . "For someone like me with a family, what's important is the green space and not only to clean it up, but to show that there are people living here."