Budget Season is Here! My Open Letter for District 8 Priorities

I’ve outlined some key District 8 priorities, from parks to public safety. What matters most to you? I'm all ears!

Dear Constituents and Stakeholders,

As budget season kicks off with the Mayor’s Budget Breakfast tomorrow morning, I wanted to share that I’ve sent a letter to Mayor Wu and Chief Groffenberger outlining my top priorities for District 8—from park improvements and pedestrian safety to long-overdue repairs and essential community investments.

You can read the full letter below or on the link here. While I’ve lifted up many of the concerns I’ve heard from neighbors, I know there’s always more to learn!

What priorities would you like to see reflected in this year’s city budget? Your voice is essential in shaping a city that works for all of us—please don’t hesitate to reach out and share your thoughts via email at sharon.durkan@boston.gov or by commenting here.

I want to thank the Chair of Ways and Means Committee, Brian Worrell, for his leadership in championing all of our Council priorities as well—you can read his letter here on behalf of the committee. Happy Budget Season! Grateful for your partnership for our neighborhoods.

Sharon

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CITY COUNCILOR SHARON DURKAN, DISTRICT 8

April 8, 2025

Dear Mayor Wu and Chief Groffenberger,

I greatly appreciated our conversation a few months ago and found your insights on the budget incredibly valuable. As we approach budget season, I wanted to take a moment to outline my priorities—both operating and capital. I also want to thank Councilor Worrell, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, for his leadership in guiding the City Council through this process. While he has sent a separate letter on behalf of the body, I wanted to highlight specific requests for District 8 in my own communication. I recognize the complexity of the budget process and remain open to collaboration and suggestions on each of these items.

Top Concerns and Investment Priorities for District 8:

1. Parks and Community Investments

Our parks system is our lungs, let’s continue to invest in a vital asset that improves quality of life and mental health in District 8.

First, I would appreciate an update on the status of key capital projects in District 8. Given that the majority of capital spending in my district is directed toward parks, I’d like to check in with a detailed timeline on the following big picture projects:

• Boston Common Master Plan

• Improvements to the Back Bay Fens Pathways

I’m thrilled that the Kenmore Block of the Commonwealth Ave Mall is being prioritized, thanks to incredible partnerships of the Friends of the Public Garden, and the Charlesgate Alliance. These parks are not just vital to the vibrancy of District 8 but serve as green spaces enjoyed by residents citywide and visitors from around the world. In addition to funding the Boston Common Master Plan’s implementation, we desperately need mid-block crosswalks to align with the natural desire lines for pedestrians at the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

Each summer, the Boston Common sees a dramatic increase in visitors, from residents to tourists, and yet lacks reliable, accessible restroom facilities. I strongly support the annual provision of well-maintained seasonal bathrooms in the Boston Common. This basic amenity is essential for a welcoming and accessible park experience and should be a recurring line item in the operating or capital budget.

In Mission Hill, residents are calling for safety improvements on public stairways near 119 Fisher Avenue, where handrails are needed to help people safely access McLaughlin Park. These are simple fixes that would go a long way in improving walkability and accessibility.

Though the Thoreau Path is not a technical park by the City of Boston’s standard, it is the space in which West End neighbors have to get outside and recreate. There has been extensive conversation around the Thoreau Path that has been helpful and is moving in the right direction. We need a timeline for when these mitigation funds will be spent and when this work will be completed. In line with the West End Civic Association, I’m advocating for this work to happen as soon as possible.

Additionally, I recently toured the Tobin Community Center with Chiefs Massó and Irish, Commissioners Rivera and Shelton, and Deputy Chief Cafferky with John Jackson, who has been at Tobin for over 30+ years, and shared my concerns that we need to move faster to get the AC in place. After this meeting, I’m confident there is alignment from the City of Boston that this is a priority and I’m grateful for other improvements coming. AC improvements in the gym are essential! Seniors and young people need a reliably cool recreation space in the heart of Mission Hill.

2. Transportation & Safety

One of the most common requests I receive from constituents is for additional speed humps. The dangerous speeds at which cars travel on streets with heavy foot traffic remain a major concern. While I appreciate the city’s swift action in implementing the Safety Surge Program, demand continues to outpace supply. I would like to advocate for an expansion of this program to better meet the needs of residents:

Request speed humps for the following Fenway streets in line with the advocacy of the Fenway Civic Association:

• Peterborough, Queensberry, Jersey and Kilmarnock Streets.

Request speed humps for the following Beacon Hill streets in line with the Beacon Hill Civic Association traffic and parking committee:

• West Cedar, Walnut, River, and Irving Streets.

Request the following transportation improvements on Mission Hill streets:

Request transportation improvement outside of Mission Main, including Turquoise Way and Smith Street, which has commitments through development mitigation for 4 speed humps. There have been multiple high speed crashes and I would like to see this prioritized from the City side, adding Turquoise Way to the list to be studied.

Mid-block crosswalk outside of the Tobin Community Center (in front of 1480-1482 Tremont St), which is currently dangerous to cross, and routinely has high speeds. I frequently witness pedestrians jaywalking to their desired location across the street.

Prioritize the mid-block crosswalk in front of Roxbury Crossing T Station. I understand it is part of the work on the Tremont/Columbus bus lane projects, but I believe it is a separate project that should be considered for early completion.

I hope that items from our upcoming discussion to improvements on Terrace/Parker Streets make it onto the budget as this has been a long transformation from an arterial light industrial street to a calm residential corridor.

Grading, Paving and Sidewalk Issues:

I’m heartened to see that a contractor has been hired to deal this spring with sidewalk issues in Mission Hill and Fenway thanks to our advocacy in last year’s budget cycle. The following issues should be addressed, and if more complicated than appear, should be on the list for make-safes this year:

Francis St and Huntington Ave in Mission Hill are of the utmost priority for me as they are well-trafficked and lead residents and visitors alike to the many institutions in the Longwood Medical Area. In addition, Mission Park is home to many Mission Hill seniors who frequently report to my office the difficulties they experience walking on Huntington Ave. I recently took a walk with the Roxbury Tenants of Harvard to discuss these improvements.

Sidewalk improvements at Boylston and Kilmarnock Street intersection are much needed. This is a heavily pedestrianized crosswalk, but there is crumbling infrastructure here, making crossing more difficult for seniors and people with disabilities. Heavy trucks making deliveries to the current Star Market have created a condition where water pools on the sidewalk.

Additionally, I am advocating again for the completion of two more blocks of Boylston Street to compensate for the year that the Public Works Department did not complete in 2023 in line with the request from the Back Bay Association. This would include sidewalk reconstruction and streetscape improvements.

3. Unfunded Budget Priorities in District 8

Revisiting the Study Report Curator: $100,000 – Last year I was successful at getting an in-house Study Report Curator for the Landmarks Commission however they have struggled to fill this position given that the position was underfunded, and needs a larger salary to be competitive.

Downtown Parks Administrator: $100,000 - $125,000 – For the most loved and heavily used parks, including Boston Common, Public Garden, Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Copley Square, and Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park.

Merchandise Licensing Pilot: $100,000, a revenue generating opportunity, which needs study, partnership and prioritization to get off the ground. Currently the BU Initiative on Cities is studying this at no charge to the city, but we know seed funding is needed to make this a priority.

West End Library – We need to find a solid replacement when the library is under construction, given the library serves one of the densest areas of the city, and is what makes both the West End and Beacon Hill communities connected to vital library resources. With partnership with both the Beacon Hill Civic Association, and the West End Civic Association, we are together pushing for a substantial temporary library to service the community.

I appreciate your time and consideration of these priorities and look forward to working together to ensure that the budget reflects the needs of our residents. Of course, this list does not capture everything we hope to discuss because representing over 75,000 residents in the West End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Mission Hill, Kenmore, the Fenway, and Audubon Circle, is an everyday partnership, but it offers a strong starting point. I’d welcome the opportunity to connect further, please let me know a convenient time to continue the conversation.

Best,

Sharon Durkan

Boston City Councilor, District 8