Environmental Injustice: unequal protection depending where you live

Many Environmental Justice populations are located in densely populated urban neighborhoods, in and around the state’s oldest industrial sites, while some are located in suburban and rural communities. These high-minority/low-income neighborhoods sometimes encompass only a small portion of the land area of the Commonwealth but they host, or are in close proximity to, many of the state’s contaminated and abandoned sites, regulated facilities, and sources of pollution.

Everybody has a right to clean water and clean air, and nobody has a right to degrade and destroy the environment. We're not talking here about little critters which few people see. We're talking about healthy communities where we can send our kids out to play, where we can live and bring up our families knowing that everybody's doing their part in using and disposing of toxic chemicals properly.

Former gas plant site harbors cyanide, other toxins

By Gerard F. Russell
Worcester Telegram and Gazette Staff
Posted Aug. 29, 2015

Worcester Telegram newspaper of August 30, 2015.
Front page article about contamination at Framingham
Irving Street site owned by EverSource.

There is no yellow caution tape or sign warning of deadly toxins, but 350 Irving St. is a cyanide-laden wasteland.

Home to several thriving businesses, it was once the site of an 1800s-era manufactured gas plant where the process left toxic byproducts: oil, coal tar, PCBs, cyanide, petroleum hydrocarbons and many other hazardous chemicals.

A portion of that site was sold to a local businessman who is now feeling the sting of hazardous pollution. An Auburn man is suing a company he worked for at the location.

Framingham's Sudbury Aqueduct runs through toxic site

By Gerald F. Russell
Worcester Telegram and Gazette Staff

According to an easement granted to Commonwealth Gas in 1982,
a permanent right-of-way was allowed over the aqueduct (see
area in red) requiring construction of a bridge. The
easement states, “a suitable reinforced concrete slab with at
least one (1) foot clearance between the bottom of the concrete
slab and the top of the aqueduct” was required. DEP and
MWRA officials say they do not know if such a structure exists.
See April  15, 1982 agreement by going to the Massachusetts Registry
of Deeds, South Middlesex County, Book 14584 Page 511.

The 22-acre Eversource property on Irving Street is dissected by a Massachusetts Water Resources Authority aqueduct, called the Sudbury Aqueduct, that is used in emergencies by the water authority that delivers drinking water to millions of people in eastern Massachusetts.

It was taken out of service in the 1980s but was used as recently as 2010 during a major pipeline break in Weston. At the time, it was used for three days.

Elements of good skatepark design

 from SkateparkGuide.com

If you think that quality skateparks come from pushing around some dirt and pouring “crete” on a bump, think again. Building a concrete skatepark is a labor intensive and highly specialized endeavor. Further, if the builders don’t get it right the first time out, you’ll be skating their lumpy transitions and similar mistakes and for a long time to come.

Examples of Skateparks and sizes

12,000 sf: Ponderosa Skatepark and Skatepath
NOTE: Framingham Matters editor suggests the skatepark design to include a "skate path" that loops back.
 

Click here for other views of this skatepark and skatepath

     The Ponderosa skatepark in Bend, Oregon, consists of an approximately 8,000 square foot main park and 4,000 square foot skatepath and features a variety of street and transition opportunities including quarter- and half-pipes, stairs, rails and ledges. The final design was based on public input, site opportunities and constraints and budget.

Suggested skatepark locations

Suggested locations for a skatepark.

What better place for a skatepark than at Farm Pond?

Across Dudley Road from Cushing Memorial Park is a sunny open area near the Bocce Court and adjacent parking area. It is a fitting place to have an outstanding skatepark. Not only could it serve the young skateboarders, but could become a place for families and people to relax, exercise and enjoy this area close to Farm Pond as well. A well-designed skatepark could be an attractive addition to the draw of the Cushing Park area.

The ideal location for a skatepark is at Farm Pond, opposite Cushing Park. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Selecting best location for a skatepark is primary goal 

A skatepark is only as good as the site that it’s located within. And because a skatepark’s site is so critical to the ongoing success of the facility, finding the perfect one can often be one of the most arduous parts of the skatepark development process. Some of the most important criteria to focus on when evaluating potential skatepark sites are:

Blight and slumlords: Time to renew Operation Red?

Blight, unsafe and unhealthy housing properties owned by slumlords continue to be a problem to control. Read about a novel method in Framingham which began in 1996 to eradicate this problem. Perhaps it's time to renew this program.

Scarlet plywood brings shame to slumlords
From Boston Business Journal, June 2, 1997
By Jim Miara, Journal Staff

In the real old days, shame was a sensation strong enough to incite repentance in sinners and to strike a universal chord as a literary theme in such works as "The Scarlet Letter."

Although daytime talk show guests leave the impression that shame has lost much of its moral force in today's society, Framingham's "Operation Red," which exposed slumlords to public scrutiny, would indicate that it still has considerable sting.

Clever thieves in the new technological world: Be wise, be wary, be prepared

Long-term parking

A family left their car in the long-term parking area while away. During that time, someone broke into the car. Using the information from the car registration in the glove compartment, the thief drove the car to the car owner's home and robbed it. If you are going to leave your automobile in long-term parking, do NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener. Please review any other personal information you may have in the car.

"Dedicated to Excellence in Public Service"

Automatic Trash Collection

1. When will the new service start?
The new automatic trash collection service is scheduled to begin the week of Monday July 6, 2015.

2. How and when will the new refuse carts be distributed?
Our vendor, Cascade Cart will be responsible for the initial distribution of all carts to Framingham residents. We anticipate that distribution of the cart will take approximately four weeks. The carts will be distributed in the month of June, 2015. Residents are requested not to use their new refuse cart until their scheduled day of refuse collection during the week of July 6-10, 2015.

Although photos were taken December 2013, the trash situation is much the same today.

Translate this website in any language around the world

     English: Read information about Framingham matters in any language. Select preferred language on left column.
     Spanish: Lea la información sobre asuntos de Framingham en cualquier idioma. Seleccione el idioma preferido en la columna izquierda
     Portuguese: Leia as informações sobre assuntos de Framingham em qualquer idioma . Selecione o idioma preferido em coluna da esquerda
     Russian: Читайте информацию о вопросах, Framingham на любом языке . Выберите нужный язык на левой колонке
     Chinese: 閱讀關於在任何語言弗雷明漢事項的信息。
選擇在左邊的列首選語言

     French: Lire des informations sur les questions de Framingham dans toutes les langues . Sélectionnez la langue préférée sur la colonne de gauche
     Greek: Διαβάστε τις πληροφορίες σχετικά με Framingham θέματα σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα . Επιλέξτε τη γλώσσα της προτίμησής στην αριστερή στήλη
     Hindi: किसी भी भाषा में फ्रामिंघम मामलों के बारे में जानकारी पढ़ें।
बाएँ स्तंभ पर पसंद की भाषा का चयन करें
     Yiddish:
לייענען אינפֿאָרמאַציע וועגן פראַמינגהאַם זאכן אין קיין שפּראַך .
סעלעקט בילכער שפּראַך אויף לינקס זייַל

Memorial Day: honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military

Framingham will begin its Memorial Day observances at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, with a program on the steps of the Memorial Building, 150 Concord Street, according to an announcement on the town’s website. On the agenda is the presentation of medals to the families of three late World War II veterans, Bernard Sullivan, Wilfred Mitchel, and Francis Moran; the latter two were killed in action while flying combat missions over Italy. Guest speakers will include state Representative Katherine Clark, and two Army captains, Douglas and Alissa Morrison.

Parents speak about the need for a safe dedicated skatepark

Jayden of Nobscott with mother and sister

From Heather Bachman ...
     "I am so encouraged to read that the need for a skate park in Framingham is a budding conversation! I live in Nobscott, and have a 12 (well, nearly 13) year old skateboarding son. He began skating when we lived in Atlanta at 4 years old. There were many, lovely public skate parks which we used to enjoy going to on the week ends along with a picnic. It became something of a "family" outing ritual. I loved seeing older kids helping him learn to skate and the "etiquette" of skating. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, and enjoy conversation while our children of all ages, races and genders were being active!

My son, Jayden has now gotten a few of his friends here interested in skating and ironically just came to me last Friday to inform me that they want to do what's necessary to fund-raise monies to build a park here in Framingham. They had the thought of the former grocery in Nobscott plaza being transformed into an indoor park. They did have a point of utilizing "dead" space.

I would be happy to be involved in spearheading an effort to make, what sounds to be, many of our young residents dreams a reality. Anyone care to join?"


From  Katherine Lopez ...

Samuel, a young skateboarder
and student at Cameron School

"I recently became aware that there is a movement to have a Skatepark in Framingham. As a parent of an eleven year-old boarder, I was thrilled and eager to help this idea become a reality. As a skateboarder in Framingham, it is hard to practice your craft (die-hard skateboarders will say it is an art as well as an emerging sport) when there are no safe arenas to do so. For me to support my son in his endeavors, we must travel at least one-half hour to Acton, Hopkinton, Hudson, Sherborn or Waltham to find an outdoor park. This takes time and money (gasoline, food and drink for the boarder) that we would prefer to put into OUR community.

My son is not a football, soccer, basketball or baseball player. I have no doubt he could be good at any of these as he is a wonderful athlete. He chooses,

Possible Skatepark at Butterworth Park?