Like many parts of the North End, a significant section of cobblestones at Lombard Place has been missing for years. Not only does this look bad, it becomes unsuitable for walking and inaccessible. Resident Tommye-K. Mayer took it upon herself to have the cobblestone area repointed while she was doing some of the brickwork on her own home. She comments:
We now have a new little piazza, a gathering place, in the North End. Before, it made that part of Lombard Place uncomfortable to occupy. Well, now it’s not. I’m thinking this reclaimed space needs a name. Whereas it’s at the curve connecting the Prince Street and Thacher Street legs of Lombard Place and sort of “hairpinny,” “Tommye’s Tornante” occurred to me. I am, of course open to suggestions.
Tommye is committed to restoring the space. She is still working to fill in the gaps with sand and moss to make it easier to walk and roll over. She has hopes of doing more planting as well. If you’re interested, she’d welcome the help.
beautiful
And now, imagine that “After” picture with green moss growing in the spaces between the cobblestones. I’ve been sprinkling dirt between the stones with my trowel, and when we’ve gotten rain–yeah, precious little this year–the dirt’s found it’s level making the cobblestones more walkable (I am a person with disability… Moss would make it even better.
With all the roof decks, porches, and windows–where there could be boxes, we could remake the #HangingGardensOfBabylon in #LombardPlace. Wouldn’t that be magical.