City Councilor Lydia Edwards addressed trash hokies, the Bova’s curb, Hanover Street paving and cell phone antenna boxes at a Committee on Ways & Means meeting last week.
Trash and trash removal is a hot topic in the North End. Councilor Edwards noted at the Committee meeting that six new hokies have been hired and asked if any would be placed in the North End (1:59:07). Michael Brohel, Deputy Commissioner of the Boston Public Works Department confirmed that yes, some would be working in the neighborhood. Brohel also mentioned that one full-time hokie was hired a few months ago for Hanover Street who has received positive feedback from many community members.
Councilor Edwards also asked about hokie program expansion during the winter for snow removal to follow behind the trucks. There has been some discussion about it and the topic will be revisited as the winter months approach.
The task of lowering the massive curb outside of Bova’s has been talked about for the past three years, but no action has occurred. Now it is scheduled to be redone when Salem Street is repaved this year. Councilor Edwards stressed the importance of this repair being completed as soon as possible (2:03:29).
In addition, there was mention of the relocation of cell phone antenna boxes that are affecting sidewalk accessibility in the North End (2:04:08), as well as the repaving of Hanover Street, which will ideally be done in June (2:05:06).
Watch the full video from the meeting below. Lydia Edwards addresses District 1 issues from 1:59:03 to 2:07:48.
What is a hokie?
T,you stole my thunder that is the same question that I was going to ask.
I think they are the folks employed by the city who walk around with barrels and brooms sweeping and picking up trash. Not sure what the origin of the term is, though….
I think if you went to West Virginia, they call themselves Hokies. Maybe this is a summer internship for West Virginia grads.
Sorry, I was corrected. It’s Virginia Tech. Looks like VT will clean up this summer.
Trash barrels; recycling bins; put on city sidewalks to keep areas clean
Now I am more confused, are they city employees or trash barrels ,recycling bins placed in the neighborhood?
I’m not sure of the proper / original use of the term ‘hokie’ but MarkB is correct. The use here refers to city employees, often doing summer jobs, that manually clean the street, curbs and sidewalks with brooms in high traffic areas (usually along the Freedom Trail in the NE).
This 2014 video from the City of Boston explains the role of a hokie, sometimes spelled “hokey”: https://youtu.be/56sr57rXGps
Watched the video ,That is one dedicated City Employee we need more like her. How refreshing to see someone who enjoys the work that they do .
Appreciate the explanation Matt.
Now, my education is complete!
Matt: Thanks for your input. Cannot wrap my head around “hokey” referring to a person. Or, am I aging myself……terms we would not use many, many years ago. Well, that’s my problem, and now I know what a hokey is thanks to your comment !!
Thank you, Councilor Edwards!!
Glad we know what a Hokie is BUT WE NEED MORE TRASH CANS!!!