NEW YORK CITY — WE DON’T WANT TO BE

Guest editorial by Marie Simboli

NEW YORK CITY — WE DON’T WANT TO BE …
North End Residents … Group Together and Voice Your Opinions

I speak on behalf of myself and perhaps many more residents of the North End who have endured the impact of the business community, specifically restaurants and bars in the North End. I understand that the restaurants add flavor to the North End with respect to the many tourists and locals who enjoy dining in Boston’s “Little Italy”. However, it appears that the business community and the residential community are divided and the constant push and shove matches that occur at our neighborhood meetings such as the North End/Waterfront Residential Association (NEWRA) and the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) are becoming a circus.

Our goal as residents, and myself, as a member of the NEWNC, is to work with these establishments to create a common ground with the residents. We live here and want our quality of life to be of high standards like other communities. A small percentage of restaurant owners live in the North End and the few that do can understand the frustrations that we face. Certain situations are just not acceptable to the residents and abutters such as loud noise, reckless patron behavior, trash and the vermin it attracts.

The restaurants are here to stay as are the residents. It is up to our residents to keep this community a place that people can work and live together on mutual ground. But we will stand our ground and keep the restaurants in check and not in control of our neighborhood. Now we have businesses applying for licenses to stay open until 4AM. If Boston decides to follow the path of New York City nightlife then the entire city needs to come up with a plan to keep the residential community safe and clean. It is unfair that certain Boston neighborhoods are being used as pawns in the politics of the city to keep business owners happy.

How can people voice their opinions if the Licensing Board meetings are held during the day when most of us are working? For such “hot button” issues, the residents adamantly have a right to voice their opinion.

Enough politics and more interest in the residents. Remember it’s our vote that gets you in!

Marie C. Simboli
Resident and NEWNC Member

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