Sunday, June 19, 2011

CPCAY Update - Thanks Henry!

On Monday, June 13th City Councilor Matt O'Malley, chair of Environment and Health Committee, held a public hearing concerning the Arborway Yard. A number of people testified on the current environmental hazards of the "temporary transit facility", including representatives of the CPCAY, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, the Jamaica Pond Association, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Franklin Park Coalition and the Stoney Brook Neighborhood Association. Testimony also centered on the MBTA's broken promise to build a permanent transit facility and to turn over 8 acres of the site to the City of Boston for community development. Councilors O'Malley, Tito Jackson and Council President Stephen Murphy all made strong and eloquent statements about the MBTA 's responsibility to fulfill its promise and commitment to the neighborhood and the City to fund the construction of the facility. The Mayor's office was represented by Jim Hunt , as did Representative Liz Malia, who has been an extraordinary supporter of the CPCAY for the past 12 years.

Jim Hunt cited one positive development: in a meeting with the Mayor a few weeks ago the Secretary of Transportation and the MBTA general manager conveyed that they had identified a source of possible federal grant funds for the construction of the transit facility. The CPCAY and our elected officials will be following up on this possibility over the next few weeks.

Many thanks to all of you for your continued support.

Henry Allen

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