Interviewed by Kathryn Macdonald

Craig Martin is a long-time resident of the Readville section of Hyde Park who for  many years has been a vocal and persistent advocate for the preservation of Hyde  Park green spaces and livable neighborhoods. Craig was interviewed at the  Westinghouse Lofts on July 20, 2021.  

What is your Hyde Park history?  

I attended the Weld School in Fairmont for the first and second grades (the school  is no longer there) and the Fairmont School (now the Police Academy) for third  grade. The family then moved to Cape Cod where I stayed throughout high school.  After college and during a career as a CPA, I lived in and around Boston and Cape Cod, before returning to Hyde Park in the mid-l990’s. One of the reasons I  returned to Hyde Park was that it had the same quality and character as I  remembered from my youth.  

How did you get involved in Hyde Park activism/advocacy? What moved you  to action?  

After returning to Hyde Park, there were some proposed major changes that were  going to affect the quality of life in Readville. In the early 2000’s, there was a  proposal to construct the largest residential housing development in the history of  the state where the old Stop & Shop warehouse was located. Our neighborhood  banded together and managed to block that proposal and now that area is utilized,  as we’d hoped, for light industrial purposes. I have been a participant in several  neighborhood associations, with the hope of ensuring that proposed changes are  appropriate for the neighborhood. We sometimes met with success!  

What are your concerns for future Hyde Park development? 
 
My biggest disappointment now is that the power brokers in City Hall are ignoring  the zoning codes and the normal procedures that have been utilized by city  agencies in the past. We are not appropriately informed of development proposals  at community meetings. This information should be disseminated by the City Hall  community liaisons at the neighborhood meetings, as they are there to bring any  news from City Hall to us. It’s not adequate to simply make on-line postings. They  are staffed to inform us and they should be doing so. 

There are proposals to tear down well-functioning single family housing including  large Victorian homes and replace them with standard square “plastic” apartment  buildings. I feel this type of housing stock is out of character with our  neighborhoods. We appreciate the architectural diversity in Hyde Park - - single  family bungalows, two- and three- family housing, an occasional small apartment  building. The newest proposals are in violation of current zoning codes; many  variances are required and are being approved. Hyde Park was rezoned about 10  years ago under BRA (Boston Redevelopment Authority) direction; those by-laws  were accepted and the BRA suggested that the by-laws not be changed for at least  20 years. Now the BRA/BPDA (Boston Planning & Development Association) is  flooded with proposals that don’t come close to complying with the zoning by-laws  that they drafted. While our previous mayor had strongly lobbied for new  developments anywhere in Boston, we have other elected officials to monitor the  behavior of the chief executive officer (the mayor) at City Hall and to answer to  their constituents. Our voices are as loud as can be, but too often our requests are  being shunned. City councilors’ jobs are to represent their constituents and not to  bring their own thoughts to City Hall. They are hired to bring their constituents’  thoughts to City Hall.  

Hyde Park has stood out as different from other Boston communities, which is why  so many from other areas have moved here. We appreciate being able to get around in vehicles and finding nearby green space. The more we permit gargantuan apartment buildings here, the closer we come to being homogenized with the rest of the city and consequently, quality of life lessens.  
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Are you involved in other community efforts?  

I have been a participant in the Factory Hill Community Garden, where I attempt  to grow beefsteak tomatoes for juicy sandwiches. In my spare time, I enjoy getting to beaches with my dog, Watson, and swimming alongside him. I also see to it that  he gets runs through Blue Hills and dog parks in the greater Boston area.  

As things re-open, it was a pleasure to resume in-person interviews this summer. For the return of Humans of Hyde Park, a special in-person interview was conducted on a beautiful June morning with neighbor Victoria (Vicky) Gall at Fairview Cemetery. As president of the Friends of the Hyde Park Library, Gall led the fundraising efforts for the installation of a headstone for Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman in the United States to earn a medical degree in 1864.

Tell me a little backstory about yourself:

I grew up in Connecticut, in a family that volunteered in the community. My mother with Hungarian refugees and with retarded children (the term used in the 50’s and 60’s), and I was a girl scout and candy striper. After college, I was very active with the Arthritis Foundation and AIDS Action Committee. When I moved to Hyde Park I went to an open meeting of the Friends of the Hyde Park Library and I’ve been with them since the mid-90s except for two years when I was in the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan. 

I learned at a young age that I enjoy being active and helping others. Now I have even more time, so why not do it!  In the past few years, I became interested in other local groups so I connected with the Hyde Park Historical Society and with Keep Hyde Park Beautiful for neighborhood cleanup and beautification projects.

Walking by the headstones of Dr. Rebecca Crumpler and her husband Arthur, Vicky provided a bit of backstory on her involvement:

This project developed from my love of history and cemeteries dating back to childhood. For the Hyde Park Historical Society, I wanted to find where people significant to Hyde Park were buried. I learned that Dr. Rebecca Crumpler - the first Black female physician in the United States - was buried in Fairview Cemetery. I looked for her gravesite and was surprised to find that she did not have a headstone. I immediately realized that something had to be done. I formed a committee and we started fundraising in February 2020. Within 2 weeks we had sufficient funds to purchase her headstone, and a separate headstone for Arthur Crumpler. The donations came from across the country and all four MA medical schools. We’ve brought overdue recognition to a medical pioneer and we plan to continue to honor her in different ways. 

That project made me think, “who else of historical significance or human interest is buried in this cemetery?” resulting in this year’s Points of Interest self-guided tour.  Small walking group tours can be arranged.

What do you hope for the community of Hyde Park?

If someone has an interest, just go out and investigate it. I don’t do a lot of group things - I’m more of a “give me a project, I’ll do it myself” kind of person. If you're like me, you can connect with a group that interests you and there’ll be things you can do individually. Try the personal ask to get others to help. For example, when people say “thank you for picking up litter” I suggest that they do the same in their yard or on their block.

When you have an idea, don’t be put off by people who say “that won’t work.” 

What are you currently focused on?

For the Friends of the Hyde Park Library: The library will open in a few weeks and we need volunteers in the following areas: 

1.   Book and Media Sales     
2.   Garden Committee [NEW]
3.   Children and Teen Program Planning 
4.   Social Media    
5.   Indoor/outdoor entertainment planning
6.   Educational offerings
7.   Membership Recruitment/ Board of Director activities
8.   Special Events 
Any future projects you’d like to see happen in Hyde Park?

The Hyde Park Historical Society would like to develop self-guided Hyde Park tours [similar to the map of Fairview Cemetery] on topics such as Black history, industry, and the women of Hyde Park. All we need are volunteers and inspiration. 

If any of the projects or initiatives that Vicky mentions are of interest to you, please email KeepHPBeautifiul@gmail.com so we can put you in touch with her.

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​​Nominate yourself or someone in the community for a Humans of Hyde Park story; nominees can remain anonymous in the story or use their first name only if they prefer: https://goo.gl/forms/qgTj1Rh8t2bSbh973​
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1. Litter Clean-Ups - There were a number of litter clean-ups whether by groups or individuals taking it upon themselves to grab a bag and tools and get to work. The ​Green Team made it out over the summer for socially distanced clean-ups. We really appreciated their energy and commitment to keeping our community beautiful!

2. Holiday Toy Drives - Part of keeping our community beautiful is also taking care of each other and efforts led by neighbor Michale P. Fagone and Shaw's manager and neighbor April Ricci to benefit Toys for Tots brought joy to so many children. 

3. Eagle Scout Bike Drive - When neighbor and Eagle Scout Dara Concagh posted to the Hyde Park Neighbors Facebook page about his bike drive project in the spirt of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, neighbors rallied together to donate their bikes. Bikes have been in high demand in the midst of the pandemic and the community's response was proof that we really know how to step in and fill a need! 

4. Hyde Park Little Free Libraries - With our local library branch having to change service, many neighbors came to rely on our Little Free Libraries sprinkled throughout the community. One resident, Jesse Farren-James, did a phenomenal job keeping them stocked and alerting the community when they were replenished. This was and continues to be a great way for neighbors to share their books within the community as a commitment to reuse. 

5. Hyde Park Mobile Testing Site - Keeping our neighbors healthy is important and we are grateful for neighbor Jen Gaman and others' efforts to speak up and amplify the need for a mobile testing site in our community. This will enable us to continue to stay healthy especially as we head into 2021 and stay committed to keeping Hyde Park Beautiful. 

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Alex Thomas Jr. is a lifelong resident of Hyde Park, and a local business owner of the Carroll-Thomas Funeral Home. It wasn’t until we connected for this interview that I realized we are practically neighbors! We sat down at Coffee Break Cafe earlier this year to discuss his commitment to the community. 

Interview by Quiana Agbai

Tell me about yourself and how you’re involved with keeping Hyde Park beautiful?: 

I was born in Hyde Park in 1952, on Beacon Street - the big old stone house that looks like a castle. I went to school here growing up in Hyde Park, and my dad owned a funeral home next to my school - that was difficult! I got into landscaping with my grandfather, an Irish immigrant. I used to go out with him after school, cut grass, plant gardens and do all kinds of things. One of my favorite [memories] was a house in Milton where we were cutting grass and a weeping willow tree had a branch come down. My grandfather took it into the garage, peeled the bark off the bottom, put it in a vase of water, wrapped it up with toilet paper and said, “Bring this home and in a couple weeks you’re going to see white roots, and we’re going to plant it somewhere.” At the time my dad was running the funeral home on Oak Street and [the weeping willow] is there today. I was able to get two trees out of that: one at Most Precious Blood Church and one up at my son’s house in Canton. 

I take pride in Hyde Park. I live here now, and I bought the house next to the funeral home. Every morning the first thing I do is look out my window up Maple Street all the way to Las Vegas Seafood, and I go, “Aw man! This was spotless yesterday!” I love just walking down the street and picking up everybody’s trash. If I see kids walking up the hill and all of a sudden I see them doing something and [litter] goes down to the ground, I’ll walk over and nicely say, “You want to pick that up please.” I love keeping things beautiful; I love flowers, I love trees, I love nature. I really do! 

Speaking of youth, how have you inspired them to help keep Hyde Park Beautiful?:

I’ve had numerous kids in our neighborhood help over the years. I put a lot of time, effort and money into the flowers especially over at the Church [Most Precious Blood]. I can’t water them unless I do it by hand, which I can’t do all the time. I used to see [kids] walking by, and I used to ask, “When you get out of school, do you want a summer job?,” and I’d talk to their parents to make sure they knew who I was. I had probably 4 different kids over the years do that. One boy helped for 4 years - watering the flowers, doing great - I had him plant a little garden, and I became a mentor to him. Now he’s married with 4 kids!

Historically, what have you noticed with clean up efforts over the years?

I love the little gardens put around in the different squares! Back when I was a kid I never really thought of it. Graffiti bothers me, and I don’t have tolerance for litter - I’ve filled up a barrel full of trash at times. I still have t-shirts from Mayor Menino’s Boston Clean-Up with the broom on it, I think from 2002.  

What would you say to your fellow Hyde Park residents to encourage them to get started helping to keep Hyde Park beautiful?  

If everybody just concentrated on their little block - not just their house - and thought of their neighbors. Even things like cleaning off your neighbor’s car when it snows or helping the elderly people; just walk around and pick stuff up! I love it when I see somebody pick something up. It’s amazing how many times you see that! We can do some amazing things here. I love taking a left and going up my street and seeing that there’s not even a straw or a q-tip or cigarette butt. It’s so nice! I love having my sidewalks clean, and I love when I see people out in their yards. 

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​Is there any collaboration with Blake Estates or other businesses in your corridor?
I’m closely involved with Blake Estates, but mostly with the seniors - we love and appreciate them more than you know! We’ve never discussed a cleaning plan together; maybe that’s a good idea or plan I can seek out with Robin [the manager of Blake Estates]. 

As Shaw’s manager, what are some of your goals for 2020?
To continue to keep clean, continue to meet our customers’ needs, most importantly to listen - that’s the #1 thing that keeps me going. You have to listen, whether good or bad, continue to expand our variety and continue to get better. My goal is to continue to move up and forward - not look in the past. 

As a long-time resident, what do you look forward to in Hyde Park?
I see a lot of changes coming - sometimes change is needed to get better. Something I would like to see happen, and something I’m trying to implement at Shaw's, is we need to change our store fronts. I love that Main Streets put the wreaths [during the holiday season]. We need to expose all the great things about Hyde Park!

I notice people like to comment about Shaw's on Facebook, but what’s the most constructive way for people to give feedback about Shaw's to you? Can we give feedback to Shaw's corporate?
I tell people to contact me via Facebook - I may not be able to respond in a timely manner, but I read all the messages. They can also contact the store and I’ve given local business owners my number too so we can work together. I like the direct contact so I can hear from the person - it works better. I know it sounds cliche, “Fill out the survey!” but ultimately, our surveys go directly to our corporate office in Bridgewater, and it comes right back to us. They do see it, whether good or bad! There’s also social media for Shaw's too. Corporate sees it and passes it along to me - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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​​Nominate yourself or someone in the community for a Humans of Hyde Park story; nominees can remain anonymous in the story or use their first name only if they prefer: https://goo.gl/forms/qgTj1Rh8t2bSbh973

Interviewed by Cathy Horn

KHPB was recently contacted by Hyde Park resident Osasenaga Idahor, a high school student hoping to get feedback on the Conscious Waste Decision project he’s working on for school. A couple of us met with him at Coffee Break Cafe and we were so impressed by his ideas, commitment, enthusiasm, and confidence that we decided on the spot to interview him for this Humans of Hyde Park feature. Osasenaga is eager to move his project forward and is looking for partners in the community. If you have feedback, ideas, or assistance you would like to share with him, please email us or comment here.   

1. Tell us about yourself and your connection to Hyde Park.
I have lived in Hyde Park near Cleary Square my entire life, and as I grow up, I continue to see myself connected to Hyde Park. Hyde Park is a special place for me because I feel more responsible as I grow up to give back to the small town in the city. I understand that I have an obligation to make my community a better place, for now, and for the future. Since my days in middle school, I always wanted to become someone whom others would respect for making a positive impact. I just did not know how, and I never realized that I could do so in Hyde Park, until now.

2. Tell us about the project you’re working on, and your goals for that project.
This past summer I visited Tokyo, Japan and I discovered that there were no public trash bins on the main streets, and yet there was not one piece of trash on any of the sidewalks or roads. In Tokyo, it is expected that anyone passing by on the street would hold on to their trash until they enter a building. When they enter the building, they could choose to recycle or throw it into the general trash bin. The discovery inspired me to begin thinking of how I could start changing people’s mindset about public waste receptacles here in Boston. I gathered my thoughts about how I could use existing trash bins to change the way people think before throwing away waste in these bins. Once I found out about Boston’s plans to be a zero-waste city by 2050, I knew how I could make my project’s ideas relevant to everyone living in Boston. Even when I told people in my school’s own environmental club about zero-waste Boston, no one knew that the initiative had been set in place. Thus, I decided to motivate people to consider the environmental consequences of throwing away their waste in public trash bins by increasing awareness about the zero-waste Boston initiative.

The only way we get to zero-waste by 2050 is if we all remember to think before we throw out our waste. There need to be more collaborative community-led projects to support our zero-waste plans as a city. The Conscious Waste Decision project is all about how together we can make Hyde Park and other neighborhoods in Boston model neighborhoods for the others by having this community-led project. The zero-waste plan is amazingly ambitious and it cannot be realized unless we help our city stay on track with its benchmarks. Most people know why they should recycle on a basic level, but it is important that we also keep in mind why it is directly relevant to us to want to recycle each time. It's not just about global consequences - there are more direct, local consequences as well for every decision we make about waste.

My goals for the Conscious Waste Decision project are to increase the amount of recycling in public trash bins while decreasing the amount of waste thrown into the landfill bins. Another goal is to increase public awareness about the relevant part everyone plays in making necessary steps for our city's zero-waste 2050 plans to become a reality. The project uses labels and signs visible on public trash bins to help achieve these goals. My vision for the project is a youth-led collaboration making these labels to demonstrate our capability as Boston residents in realizing our city's plans. 

3. How did you get the idea for your project? What inspired you?
I am a member of my school's Youth Climate Action Network (YouthCAN). This past May, YouthCAN hosted its annual summit at MIT where the focus was Facing Waste. The focus really prepared my thinking for this project. This summer, I attended the Global Citizens Initiative Summit in Japan where I developed my project and established the idea of using labels to encourage awareness about the 2050 zero-waste Boston plans. I met with 27 other fellows from around the world and mentors who gave the advice to promote this plan of action. I gained more inspiration in my visit to the BlueCross BlueShield center in Boston. While there, I found out about how they label their trash bins 'landfill' bins. It inspired me to change people's perspectives on the trash we produce and to promote a more sustainable matter.

4. How do you think we can get more teens and kids interested and involved in keeping Hyde Park clean, green, and beautiful?
The easiest way to garner youth climate action and draw people into the cause is by creating a welcoming, judgment-free event where anyone, regardless of their knowledge about climate change, can discuss their concerns about it and think of potential sustainable responses. When people become aware of the imminent threat of climate change, only informing them of the terrifying threats posed by climate change and making them feel guilty about their unsustainable lifestyle decisions is a tactic that makes people shy away from doing any action. People are drawn into advocating for sustainable cities and communities when they are given hope to try to fix our predicament and a way to advocate. Impressing despair and guilt only encourages inaction and feelings of futility. Many teens are concerned about the effects of climate change, it is a matter of galvanizing them with hope to pursue active advocacy. In Hyde Park, there needs to be a revived climate action group for youth. Pushing forward Boson's zero-waste plans of 2050 requires a youth- involved team. The Conscious Waste Decision is a project led by the youth who will have inherited the city by 2050, and as the young inheritors, we have the greatest reason to support the initiative. Hyde Park teens can utilize gathering places, like the Menino YMCA teen center or the Municipal Building, even local bus stops as places to keep our city clean. The judgment-free environment and the collaboration will foster strong ideas and the willingness to follow through with the task of promoting a zero-waste Boston.
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​4) What improvements need to happen to make Hyde Park’s business district more attractive, welcoming, and vibrant? How can you be a partner is these improvements?

​Maria Esdale Farrell:  Hyde Park has struggled for decades to have a common vision, cohesive plan and collaboration amongst all the incredible community organizations that currently exist. We need one common goal and one “team” to provide a pathway be able to support initiatives and host conversations in the community while partnering with our wonderful Mainstreets, Hyde Park Board of Trade, local business owners, landlords, and the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association so there is constant communication with local businesses and residents. This is crucial in determining what residents want from their community and in their business districts; what businesses feel would be the most helpful additions to boost business; and alteration to reduce barriers to business. Hyde Park’s major business district in both Cleary and Logan Square, is anchored by incredible cultural institutions - the Riverside Theatre, the Menino branch library and the Menino Arts Center, the YMCA, the potential of the Everett Theater. Hyde Park also has a rich legacy, particularly around Black History, that should be talked about much more, and more closely tied into Hyde Park’s social, cultural, and economic identity (which is a real possibility with one of the William Barton Rogers latest proposals). The potential opportunities here are enormous. I would also advocate for capital investments to either build or repurpose city property to have a central Community Common. As District Councilor, I intend to make this a signature effort – to attract new development and investment to highlight this incredible history and bring more visitors to Hyde Park and its businesses.

Cecily Graham:  Our town is rich with cultural diversity. As a result, our businesses reflect that diversity. As we know our city awarded less than 1% of our small business grants ($665 million) to women and minority-owned businesses. I would advocate for more equity in this area to help with signage, maybe exploring ways to make a uniform look for shopfronts and encouraging more engagement with our neighborhood mainstreets. In addition, by pushing for more equity in this area, businesses would be able to hire more employees to help them with upkeep. Last but not least, I would encourage more diversity in business options by advocating to fund our neighborhood theaters and bringing in more destination locations that would attract residents to frequent our stores rather than having to leave the district for that purpose.

Justin Murad: The business areas of Hyde Park are in desperate need of a revitalization. With broken buildings vacant spaces, businesses cannot thrive. As a City Councilor, I would advocate for better upkeep of buildings by offering programs and resources needed to make sure that they are what the business owners dreamed their store would look like. I would also make sure there are plenty trash and recycle barrels through the populated business areas so trash and debris does not build up on store fronts. I would also improve the sidewalks and roadways leading to and in front of stores because that too applies to the curb appeal of a business. 

Alkia Powell:  Currently, Hyde Park’s business district is seeing a lot of change and growth. As a City Councillor, I would advocate for more “community center” businesses, such as restaurants and coffee shops, creating a more welcoming community environment. As well, I would work towards creating more green spaces and floral adornments in the downtown area.  

Mimi Turchinetz:  You can expect my leadership on economic development to be bold. Currently, there is limited money and capital in our neighborhoods available in our retail districts. I will work to change that. I will create a Financial Opportunity Center in the District to bring access to capital and loan products for sole proprietors and entrepreneurs, job training and access to living wage and union jobs, year round financial coaching, credit building and free tax preparation. Working with key partners I will help build capacity, obtain funding and develop and implement strategies so our communities can thrive. There is no excuse for the inequity that has been the norm with Boston’s city contracts – I will make sure there’s a significant change to how Boston does business by making sure women and minority owned businesses have real access to city contracts.