On Monday, the Harbor View Neighborhood Association (HVNA) held its monthly meeting, where attendees were given updates on two items that have been major topics of conversation recently: McLean Park and a project at 636-638 Bennington Street.
The first item discussed was McLean Park and the pursuit of securing Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding to restore the walls that abut Excel Academy and homes on Bennington and Saratoga Streets.
Skip Marcella, an HVNA Board Member, noted that funding has been secured to renovate the park, but funding is still needed for the abovementioned walls.
“The concerning part of that is if we were to do the renovation on the park, then we got the money for the walls afterward, then we would interfere with the continued use of the park while they’re doing the walls, but it could also possibly damage the restoration of the park going forward,” said Marcella.
Specifically, Marcella mentioned that they have applied for funding again after an unsuccessful bid last year and are seeking around $530,000 to $540,000.
In a post to the group’s Facebook page last week, Barbara Gambale-Puopolo noted that in addition to a group letter that was available to sign during the meeting, two other letters from City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata and State Representative Adrian Madaro will accompany the funding application.
To close the meeting, the HVNA briefly discussed the next steps for a proposed project at 636-638 Bennington Street, which would bring a restaurant to the property.
The proposal has been presented at multiple abutters meetings and has drawn the ire of residents who say that the restaurant would not be a good fit for the area due to several concerns relating to its proposed closing time, proximity to an area with many children, and much more.
During the HVNA meeting last month, Marcella noted that he had not been given an indication of whether the proponents would come before the group to present. However, on Monday, he said there is a plan for the proposal to be presented at next month’s meeting.
Marcella emphasized that the usual HVNA voting protocols will remain, and a vote will not be held at next month’s meeting. However, if the proponents decide to come back for a second presentation, a vote would happen at that meeting.
While Marcella indicated there has been some support for the proposal, he emphasized, “The sentiment I hear from most people is that they don’t think that this particular planned project should be allowed to go forward in this residential section here.”
For more information about the HVNA, visit its website at https://harborvieweastboston.com/ or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/harborviewna. The next HVNA meeting is scheduled for December 2.