Every spring, the City of Boston releases our Imagine Boston Capital Plan for the next five years. It outlines where our city’s budget will be focused, our longer-term plans, and our priorities. Essentially, the capital plan details what initiatives and projects in your neighborhood and across the City that we’ll be investing in to make Boston’s future brighter.
From the East Boston Police Station to kitchen upgrades at the Mario Umana Academy, it’s my priority to create growth and opportunity for every Bostonian in every neighborhood. Boston will be at its best when all its residents have the support and opportunity they need to thrive. Investing in initiatives and projects that bring shared growth, success, and greater equity is critical for our city to reach its full potential. Our Capital Plan invests in Boston’s strongest asset: our people. Boston is a city that’s world class because it works for the middle class, and our budget’s priority is to keep supporting the working families that make Boston great.
Here in East Boston, we’re investing in some exciting initiatives and projects that we hope you and your neighbors will enjoy for many years to come.
In East Boston, we’re investing in neighborhood safety, with $853,000 in FY19 to complete a $2.2 million investment in the Engine 5 Fire Station that includes a new roof and gutters, waterproofing, flashing repairs, window and door repairs, and drainage improvements.
We’re also investing $29.9 million in the construction of a new East Boston Police Station over the coming years, with $5.5 million being invested in FY19 to finalize a design that works for police officers and the community.
We’re investing in strengthening Boston’s infrastructure — including a $3 million investment in a multi-year project to rehabilitate the structure of the McArdle Bridge.
Investing in the success of our young people is one of the most important steps we take together as a city. It’s critical our students have the resources they need to learn, and this includes healthy, free meals: we’re investing in kitchen upgrades at the Mario Umana Academy, Otis, Aligheri, McKay, O’Donnell and Samuel Adams Schools to create fresh food programs this falls.
Investing in our young people also means investing in shared community spaces: we’re investing $8.9 million at BCYF Paris Street Pool for a complete building renovation, creating an even better resource for our families in East Boston. And, we’re investing $4.0 million in Noyes Park, where we’ll upgrade the play lots, courts, fields and lighting. Over the next few years, this park will welcome even more families to enjoy its space.
Our longer-term investments are intended to lift up our neighborhoods in ways that take into account the needs and wants of the community. With this Capital Plan, we’re preparing our city for the next year, and the years forward.
What’s the next step for the Capital Plan? I have submitted the City of Boston’s budget to the Boston City Council, where your City Councilor will review the proposed budget. Once the budget is approved, it will go into effect. This is the budget for fiscal year 2019, meaning the budget will take effect in July 2018, and run throughout the next 12 months.
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to look through the budget proposal, online at budget.boston.gov. Together, I look forward to investing in our neighborhoods, and our people.
Martin J. Walsh is the Mayor of Boston.