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The 2009 Parkway Reunion!

Reminisce, Reconnect, Reunite and ENJOY!

Parkway Reunion 2009: Reminisce, Reconnect, Reunite!

(Boston, MA) Reminisce – Reconnect – Reunite! The Parkway – comprised of West Roxbury and Roslindale – will come together and celebrate all that is great about the Parkway under a large tent at the West Roxbury High School Football field. Honorary Chairman, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Chairman City Councillor John Tobin, Executive Director Carol O’Connor and a dedicated group of volunteers have been busy planning this event since January 2008.

WHEN: Saturday, June 20th, 2009 7PM-11PM
WHO: All ticket holders must be 21 years old. EVENT is Rain or Shine.
WHERE: West Roxbury High School Football Field – 1205 V.F.W. Parkway,
West Roxbury, MA 02132

Your $50 ticket will include all the fun of reminiscing, reconnecting and reuniting with old friends as well as meeting new friends. Passed hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, DJ Dave Solimine, The Richie Travers Orchestra, dancing, raffles, an impromptu LIVE auction, photographers to capture you and your friends’ camaraderie at this one time only event. All proceeds above cost will be donated to the Boston Parks Department for the further upkeep of the parks, playgrounds and open spaces of the Parkway.

Each person that buys a ticket for The Parkway Reunion 2009 will be automatically entered to win a week’s stay for four in Roscommon, Ireland, halfway between Dublin and Galway. European style residence features a modern kitchen, three-bedroom on-suite, overlooking 15 acres of beautiful, green Ireland land! For Golf enthusiasts - Athlone Golf Course - located nearby.

See parkwayreunion2009.com to purchase tickets online or email info@parkwayreunion.com

“This will be a night that people will talk about for years! It’s for anyone who has lived in the Parkway for 80 years or 8 months. It’s for people who still live here or don’t.” said Councillor Tobin. “The Parkway Reunion of 2009 will be a chance to celebrate all that is great about our community. From our people to our places, we have a lot to be proud of.”

West Roxbury Community Profile

Boston — West Roxbury

• Boston is often referred to as “A city of Neighborhoods,” with each one offering its own distinct character and vibe. Boston’s West Roxbury neighborhood is unlike any other part of the city and has been dubbed by some as “Boston’s leafy suburb.” Due to its majestic tree-lined streets, single-family homes and the fact that it contains more than 3 –times the amount of open space on average than any other of Boston’s neighborhoods, West Roxbury gives residents a uniquely suburban feel in and urban setting. (Consider using a google maps flyover here).
• Speaking of open space, or “green” space, another of West Roxbury’s unique characteristics geographically speaking is that it is virtually surrounded by hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation land as well as a substantial portion of privately managed open spaces. Some of the larger public open spaces include Boston’s newest and largest park name Millenium Park, Stoney Brook Reservation and Allandale Woods. On the Privately owned side, Roxbury Latin and the West Roxbury quarries also contain 100 of acres of open spaces.
• The residents of West Roxbury take the education of their children seriously. This is evidenced not only in the quantity but also in the quality of schools that call West Roxbury their home. By the numbers there are three (3) elementary and three (3) high-schools with the community. Represented is a nice balance between public and private schools for all ages. The crown jewel within the WR school system is prestigious The Roxbury Latin school. Also, Catholic Memorial has an outstanding reputation that cultivates strong moral character. On the public side, there’s West Roxbury Educational complex as well as access to the exam schools of Boston Latin and Boston Latin Academy.
• Because West Roxbury is within Boston’s city limits, it benefits from having access to a world class transportation system. Whether it’s by bus, subway, commuter of any one of Boston’s special purpose transportation methods, there is no place you can’t get throughout Boston. Additionally, access to major highway routes (interstates 95 and 93) are within a couple of miles and are easily accessible.
•West Roxbury is also home to many fine restaurants, delis, shopping centers and a plentitude of independent boutique shops.

West Roxbury and Parkway Area Holiday House Tour

West Roxbury Holiday House Tour

What a magnanimous and festive event was this years Parkway Holiday Tour! Sponsored by West Roxbury Main Streets, the Holy Name Bernadines, and local Parkway area businesses, and supported by hundreds of local residents, the annual Parkway Holiday Tour was an event to expereince and behold.

Held last Sunday, December 7th, at St. Theresa’s Monsignor Donahue Hall, residents gathered to buy gifts from local retailers and enjoyed many yummy treats and refreshements. A little later on in the day, local residents boarded (and filled) two Old Town Trolleys which ushered them around town with stops at Blanchards and Kalembar Dune for some wine tasting. But the highlight of the tours was visting several wonderful West Roxbury homes that were all decked out in holiday decor.

It was a really great time for all involved who offered an extra helping of good cheer for the holidays.

Season Greetings From Carol White Associates

see video above

West Roxbury 2008 Senior and Caregiver Expo

Ethos-AgeWell West Roxbury Seniors & Caregivers Expo

Last Tuesday night, Ethos and AgeWell West Roxbury teamed up with members of the West Roxbury Business and Professional Association to support Parkway area seniors by hosting the 2nd annual Senior and Caregiver Expo at St. John Chrysostom church on Washington Street in West Roxbury.  The Expo provided a forum for local seniors and caregivers to gather information on services, discounts and special programs being offered by local businesses and presented opportunities for both groups to share in the magnanimous goal of making West Roxbury a better place to live for all of us.  The Expos title was “Protecting the Future: Security for You and Your Family,” and focused on helping caregivers, seniors and support groups of all ages.

Seniors and caregivers in attendance also benefited from listening to the expertise of several guest speakers who offered featured presentations on topics such as: estate planning, selling & downsizing your home, long term care options, investment strategies and more.  Presenters included Senior Residential Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Maureen O’Keefe of Century 21 Carole White Associates, Marilyn Larosa of Larosa Real Estate, Ann Marie Walker of Walker Insurance, Jan Crosby of RE/MAX First Realty  among others.  Specific topics included how to avoid probate, managing the emotions of selling your home and how to prepare your home for sale.

Cathy Slade, coordinator for Ethos–AgeWell West Roxbury organized and chaired the event which was planned in honor of National Caregivers Month. 

Meals Tax: An Alternative to the Property Tax

At a recent meeting of the West Roxbury Civic Association, representatives from the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Services and the Office of Budget Management met with community leaders to discuss Mayor Menino’s proposed legislation to reduce both residential property taxes and business taxes in fiscal 2008 by increasing the meal tax and by closing a tax loophole afforded to the telecom industry since 1912.

“With this plan, the Mayor has made a commitment to reduce residential property and business taxes,” said Jay Walsh of the Department of Neighborhood Services, “the idea is to offset increases in the property tax scheduled to go into effect in 2008,” he said.

Presently, the meal tax in Boston is 5%–with all revenue generated going directly to the state budget.  Menino’s proposal would increase meal taxes in Boston by an additional 1% with that portion going directly into the city coffers, presumably to offset increasing property taxes.  In doing this, the cost savings to homeowners in Boston is projected to be around $200 per household per year.

The second part of the Mayor’s proposal is to close a telecom tax loophole that’s been in place since 1912.  In the early half of the 20th century, tax incentives were given to the telecom giants as a means to foster growth and to encourage “Ma Bell” to invest in a robust telecommunications infrastructure.

“It’s time to close this tax loophole that the telecom industry has long benefited from,” said Chris Julianni of the Office of Budget Management, “the tax incentive has out-lived it’s original reason for being and the telecom industry has done quite well here in Boston over the years,” he said

Additionally, it’s important to note that the current meal tax in Boston is one of the lowest in the nation of comparable cities as illustrated below.  Also, according to the budget office, the impact the meal tax will have on city residents is negligible–about $25 per year per household–while the property tax savings may be many times that.  According to a recent study, two-thirds of the meals tax in Boston is paid by non-residents (e.g. tourists, conventioneers, suburban traffic, etc).

Is it West Roxbury or is it Roslindale–Zip Codes vs. Deeds

Did you ever wonder why some homeowners in West Roxbury have a Roslindale zip code?  In the mid-1800’s, there were post offices established in Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury.   After more people settled in these areas some residents decided that they needed a post office of their own. They asked the U.S. Postal Service to establish a new post office, but in order to do this they needed a name and permission from the closest postmaster. A manufacturer by the name of John Pearce suggested that they name it after Roslyn, Scotland because it was similar to that area, the name Roslindale was formed. 

In 1879, a new post office was established near the corner of Florence Street and Cummins Highway. There boundaries were determined by the post office which is why your deed could say West Roxbury but your zip code could be Roslindale. Approximate boundaries are determined by the post office delivery routes. If you wanted to look up and get information on your deed you can go to www.FreeRecordsRegistry.com

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