Just about a week after the new parklet at Bartlett Place received new brick tile, the space has once again resorted to being a general dumping ground with piles of trash. Mark B. shares these photos on Monday morning, simply noting “What a shame.”
Bartlett Place Trashed After Parklet Renovation
Disgusting. People fought for and got the city to turn that space in a parklet. And the pigs who live near there obviousle have zero respect for the neighborhood or pride in where they live.
Yes, disgusting and a shame, but with no new provisions or directions for the people of Barltett place on to where to place their trash, what else could we expect other than for people to put their trash in the exact same spot they did before the renovation? Let’s give these people some credit – I’m sure they love the renovation and improvement, but where are they supposed to now place their trash?
For the record, it’s not just the residents on Bartlett Place. I have seen people on Salem and Parmenter toss their trash there when it wasn’t even a trash day (right behind the planter). I don’t see the point of calling people “pigs” when they are most likely putting their trash where they have always put it (and have been told to put it by their landlords). I have had some conversations with a few people that live on Bartlett and the landlord told them “just toss it at the end of the street.”
In fact, in all the years I have lived on Salem right near Bartlett, I don’t think have never seen the trash put anywhere else (others might remember differently, but this is just my experience). I don’t consider the residents of Barlett “pigs,” but I do consider the people who leave trash there on non-trash days and people who come down there to toss trash just because they don’t want it in front of their own buildings potential “pigs.” At the very least, those people should be ashamed.
So have the City of Boston inform the residents on Bartlett Pl where to put their trash now after renovation and maybe we might see a change.
The description “pigs” applies to both irresponsible landlords, irresponsible residents and the those individuals who are simply disrespectful and irresponsible.
Pigs is a perfect description & if we had some surveillance cameras around this neighborhood we might be able to identify them.Disgraceful!
There is a camera there…you can use the same camera that caught the girl defecating right in that very spot.
Mark.
Thanks for the photos, as disturbing as they are. I just want to point out that the bricks are not ‘real’. They are brick-like sheets that were put in place. It is appalling to all us as to how anyone would toss that stuff on a newly renovated space.
There has to be someone who saw this being done? Talk about disrespecting your neighbors, the city and anything else that comes under the name of decency!
Let’s not be So quick to blame the residents. What would you do if for years you had been putting your trash by the curb, by that old concrete planter, then the city came along and gave the place a facelift but never made any provisions about the traditional location of the trash? You would likely put your trash in the same place you always have. I certainly would. The problem is compounded by the number of residents who live at Bartlett place. What are they to do in the absence of Any direction or suggestion from the city? The renderings we saw were nice but ignored the reality of garbage . Some thought the trash would magically go away w this new park. Anyone could have predicted this. But let’s not blame These residents.
This news is almost, as disturbing as the robberies. There is no justification for trashing something lovely.How would these same persons feel if they had put in the effort to make these much needed renovations, only to see it trashed.? As a tax payer, I resent this total disregard for my tax dollars. Was Bartlett Place represented at any of the Neighborhood meetings? .
Let’s hope that this despicable situation is effectively resolved, as efficiently as the robberies.
What a Grinchey way to end the year.
Are you actually comparing unsightly trash to armed robbery? Of course the trash situation needs to be addressed, but I find the armed robbery far more deplorable and serious and I am a taxpayer as well.
How about more trash barrels??? You can see black barrels on the side of Terramia line up against the wall.
I agree with this, it will keep the trash contained, the residents or whomever is doing that would need to change their behaviors to put it in the barrels. The one key thing would be that it needs to be picked up at the same frequency as the normal trash.
The big trash cans you see on the side of the restaurant belong to them and are not used for resident trash. I also believe the restaurant brings them into the restaurant basement after trash is picked up. Who is going to store the extra trash cans that several people are suggesting? A lot of buildings in our neighborhood do not have the basement space to store trash cans. Not being antagonistic just an honest question.
Buon Natale a tutti!
People have placed trash there, yes, but the new renovation is not “trashed”. There IS a difference. Don’t blame the residents. Blame the city and the planners for failing to make provisions for trash placement while knowing full well that for years that area of the curb is where residents have always put their trash. You would do EXACTLY the same thing if you lived there, so let’s stop throwing stones in our glass houses.
did the city ever think about putting barrels every 6 feet on salem st and recycling bins? maybe if the city put trash barrels out and recycling bins there wouldn’t be this disgrace.. also on city property put a dumpster for the big trash! theres no exuce for that trash its a sin.. when I goto the beach in the summer there are trash barrels all over the board walk..i take a shopping plastic bag and at the end of the day my trash goes in the barrel.. if the barrel is over filled I take my trash home.. the board walk at the beach is spotless because so many trash barrels are in reach..just saying
Today is Christmas Eve so we all need to be nice. The trash at Barllett place needs to be addressed and I promise you it will be as soon as the holidays are over. This is unacceptable and we all need to take responsibility including the City,the landlords, restaurant owners and the tenants.
Sal
Sal, Thank you!
You have my full support and commitment to help in any way that I can. Perhaps we can get other Bartlett Pl. and neighboring Salem St. residents to commit to the same. I’m not a big Social media user, but maybe someone with the know-how can set up a Facebook or Google+ page that we can use to communicate initiatives, new rules, etc.?
Matt: Any ideas of how we could best accomplish this?
Thanks and Happy Holidays to All!
Happy to setup a Facebook page or Google community. More folks on FB than G+. Sometimes, a simple Google Groups email list works since everyone has email. Let me know at matt@northendwaterfront.com when you get to that point.
Of course, you’re welcome to use NorthEndWaterfront.com for broader neighborhood communications. –Matt
Is Sal LaMattina the only city employee stepping up to the plate, what happened to the other
City & State Officials that represent this Neighborhood?
While I’m glad to finally see progress at the Bartlett Place site, I don’t believe the installation of “brick” tiles and a few stanchions has transformed the alleyway into a “parklet.” If there were benches, plantings, artwork, or a fountain—anything to identify the space as a park, really—I might be able to muster outrage at the garbage pile. In its current state, though, Bartlett Place remains a vacant alleyway (only now with protection against illegally parked vehicles).
As other posters have asked, where are nearby residents supposed to deposit their trash? North End quarters are tight, and frankly the trash is better off in the empty alley than clogging the narrow sidewalks elsewhere.
I guess it’s a matter of perspective. What to you is a “vacant alleyway” is what dozens of others live next to and have to look at every day. That “brick” treatment could be seen by many as a pleasing improvement over plain asphalt and a means if defining that space. Those “stanchions” might actually be quite unique and interesting bike racks. Those planters will be filled with greenery in the spring. The lack of benches might have actually been a conscious decision arrived at with The City in discussion with those people to whom the area is home and not an “empty alleyway”.
I personally think it is a huge improvement to what is arguably one of the busiest and traveled intersections in our neighborhood.
The trash issue will be resolved eventually in a fair and civilized manner, but using the area as a dumping ground for every resident within two blocks is certainly not fair to anyone in our North End (neighboring or not).
Having viewed the artist’s rendering, I understand that proper bike racks are eventually coming to the parklet. The recently installed stanchions, on the other hand, only serve to keep out motor vehicles. How would anyone secure a bike to them?
I fully agree that the trash heap is an eyesore, but again, where do you propose relocating it to?
I’m pretty sure those are the permanent bike racks and they work the same as any other bike rack: cable or u-lock to tie it to the bottom portion, which is closed loop.
I think that if everyone put their trash outside of their own buildings the way they are supposed to, the problem would be no worse than anywhere else in the neighborhood. The problem is getting them to do that and to get the trash contractor to pick up down the alley. Hopefully Sal can help us figure something out….
I had heard that years ago the contractor decided to stop collecting down the alley and then landlords were told (I am not sure by whom) to bring their trash to the end of the street. With the exception of random people dumping trash there, the residents on Bartlett were told to stop leaving their trash outside their building because it wouldn’t be collected.
Anyone notice the bike racks look like forks, knives and spoons. 🙂