►
Description
Docket #1106 - Order for a hearing on a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Action Grant for the Joseph Moakley Park in South Boston
A
Nihal,
my
name
is
Matt
O'malley
I'm,
proud
to
be
the
district
6
city
councilor
and
the
chairman
of
the
council's
Committee
on
Environment
sustainability
and
parks.
I'm
joined
by
my
dear
colleague
and
friend,
the
district
3
city
councilor,
Frank
Baker,
and
we
are
here
to
discuss
docket
number
one
1:06,
which
is
in
order
for
a
it's
a
hearing
regarding
the
municipal,
vulnerability,
preparedness
or
MVP
program
action
grant
for
the
John
Joseph
Moakley
Park
in
South
Boston.
A
We
are
joined
today
by
three
panelists
from
the
administration
Aldo
Garin,
who
is
a
Senior
Planner
with
the
parks
department,
Allyson
Pearlman,
who
was
a
project
manager
with
the
parks
department
in
our
old
pal
Chris
Cook,
who
is
the
chief
of
energy
environment
for
the
city
of
Boston
before
we
get
into
questions
wanted
to
acknowledge
my
colleague.
If
you
had
any
opening
statements,
councillor
Baker.
B
C
You
councillor
and
thank
you
very
much
for
the
opportunity
to
testify.
As
you
said,
I'm
joined
by
my
hard-working
colleagues
from
the
Boston
Parks
and
Recreation
Department
Aldo's
involved
with
many
planning
efforts
on
behalf
of
the
parks
department,
but
I
would
like
to
take
this
opportunity
to
publicly
acknowledge
the
hard
work
of
Allison
Perlman
who's,
been
the
project
manager,
not
only
a
Moakley
Park,
but
on
20-some
other
projects
for
the
parks
department,
and
she
does
an
excellent
job
and
she's
done.
C
Yeoman's
work
on
Moakley
Park
through
this
two-year
Community
Engagement
process
on
behalf
of
Mayor
Martin
J
Walsh
I'm
pleased
to
testify,
in
support
of
this
order,
authorizing
the
Boston,
Parks
and
Recreation
Department
to
accept
and
expect
to
expend
funds
from
the
Commonwealth's
municipal
vulnerability
preparedness
program.
This
program
provides
support
to
the
city
and
towns
and
Massachusetts
to
plan
for
resiliency
and
implement
key
climate
change
adaptation
actions
for
resiliency
I
wish
to
commend
governor
Baker
and
especially
Secretary
of
Energy
and
Environmental
Affairs
KT
theory
DS.
C
For
this
fourth
can
program
to
date,
more
than
150
communities
have
signed
up
for
the
program
to
adapt
for
our
climate
future.
This
will
this
this
program
will
allow
the
parks
department
to
conduct
preliminary
design
technical
analysis
and
prepare
for
proposed
climate
resilient
capital
improvements
to
Joe
Moakley
Park.
This
will
especially
include
potential
permitting
that
will
need
to
engage
with
in
order
to
implement
the
plan
through
Mayor
Walsh's,
resilient
Boston
Harbor
plan,
the
city's
citywide
imagine
Boston
plan
the
environment
department's
climate,
ready
planning
in
the
parks
department,
open
space
plan.
A
You
chief
we're
also
joined
by
my
dear
colleague
and
friend,
the
district
city
councilor,
and
the
host
councilor
for
Joe
Moakley
Park
counselor,
ed
Flynn,
welcome,
council
Flynn,
I
I
apologize
councillor.
Baker
is
the
host
councilor
for
Joe,
Moakley,
Park
and
councillor
fellini's
and
a
budding
councillor,
but
someone
who
I
know
both
both
of
these
gentlemen.
They're
wonderful
families
spend
a
lot
of
time.
There
did
you
guys,
have
any
opening
statements,
or
is
that
sufficient
chief
cook
great
and
thank
you
chief
for
your
and
Mayor
Walsh's
commitment
to
sustainability?
A
It's
something
that
obviously
we
have
to
do
as
a
coastal
city.
So
this
is
important.
It's
a
great
partnership
with
the
state.
So
talk
a
little
bit
about
specifically.
This
is
this:
is
a
1.5
million
dollar
grant
from
the
energy
of
executive
office
of
Energy
and
Environmental
Affairs,
and
it
will
facilitate
design
changes
analysis.
Any
staffing
at
this
can
just
sort
of
give
overviews
of
what
the
money
will
go
for
since
it's
such
a
significant
amount.
Sure
I'd
like
to
defer
to
the
project.
D
So
the
1.5
million
we'll
be
looking
at,
as
we
said,
preliminary
design,
so
we're
looking
at.
How
does
the
proposed
vision
plan
with
existing
conditions?
Are
there
any
conflicts
and
how
do
we
adapt
the
design
in
order
to
deal
with
those
existing
conditions?
We're
also
looking
at
technical
analysis
to
see
how
does
Mowgli
park
become
a
flood
strategy
for
the
neighborhood
for
South
Boston,
and
how
does
it
live
up
to
in
those
major
future
storms
that
we'll
have?
How
does
a
live
up
to
the
storm
and
the
flooding
that
may
happen?
D
Funding
strategies
will
have
to
phase
it,
and
so
I
think
that
that's
gonna
take
a
big
portion
of
that
last
half
of
the
the
funding
and
then
finally,
community
engagement
is
a
huge
piece
of
this
project
and
we've
been
working
hard
to
reach
out
to
everybody
in
South,
Boston
and
adjacent
neighborhoods,
and
making
sure
that
people's
voices
are
heard
so
that
we're
building
a
plan
that
not
only
provides
flood
protection
but
provides
amenities
for
everybody
in
the
neighborhood
and
the
community.
That's.
A
D
A
And
then
we'll
some
of
the
money
go
towards
some
of
these
improvements
thinking
you
know
for
an
increased
tree
canopy,
for
example,
in
certain
parts
of
it
or
extra.
You
know,
greens
top
that's
gonna
act
as
a
sponge.
As
for
floods,
will
that
come
out
of
this
money
as
well?
Or
is
this
simply
sort
of
the
planning
and
it's.
D
A
A
And
it
is
DC
are
sort
of
partnering
with
us
or
given
the
fact
that
this
is
City
I
mean
it's
a
state
state
grant.
So
that's
great
okay,
and
can
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
you
know
sort
of
the
flood
addressing
flooding.
You
know
with
the
proximity
to
the
ocean,
other
resiliency
tools
that
are
gonna
be
sort
of
that
you
I
know.
This
is
the
beginning
of
the
process,
but
other
resiliency
attributes
that
you
sort
of
see
is
potentially
coming
out
of
this
absolutely.
D
So
one
piece
is
the
nature
based
solution
of
the
landscape
berm
that
will
help
with
flooding
protection
but,
in
addition,
we'll
be
allowing
parts
of
the
part
to
flood
to
manage
some
of
that
water
for
infiltration
over
time.
We're
also
looking
at
behind
the
berm
managing
collecting
and
managing
stormwater
below
the
fields
so
that
we
can
help
alleviate
some
of
the
impacts
on
Boston
water
and
sewer
systems.
D
D
A
D
D
So
right
now
we're
looking
at
a
majority
of
the
site
is
active
recreation,
so
fields
fall
fields,
soccer
lacrosse.
All
of
that
is
yet
to
be
determined
in
terms
of
we
have
athletic
rooms
and
so
we'll
be
working
out
exactly
what
fits
into
those
rooms
and
what's
important
to
the
community
as
we
move
through
the
process,
we'll
be
looking
at
additional
facilities
in
terms
of
community
buildings,
restrooms,
potentially
a
parking
garage,
good.
A
So
I
guess
to
my
point:
I
know
the
chief
and
I
have
discussed
this
and
he's
been
very
supportive
if
we're
talking
about
sort
of
sustainability
having
passive
buildings
makes
sense.
So
I'm
hopeful
that
that's
part
of
this
discussion
to
have
a
NetZero
carbon,
snack
bar
or
a
Net
Zero
Carbon
restrooms.
Something
like
that
that
we
could
sort
of
I
think
builds
well
into
this
as
we
talk
about
the
future.
So
that's.
D
Yeah,
we're
excited
look
at
those
elements
that
we
think
that
this
is
a
great
opportunity
to
really
highlight
the
progressiveness
of
this,
the
city
of
Boston
and
the
work
that
we've
been
doing
with
resiliency
and
we're
excited
to
take
it
even
further
and
think
about
education
and
working
with
the
local
schools
and
thinking
about
how
can
we
integrate
them
into
the
future
through
programming
and
thinking
about
building
sustainable
leaders
for
the
future?
Great.
B
E
D
The
model
takes
into
consideration,
we'll
be
looking
at
where
the
placement
of
that
berm,
where
it's
appropriate,
because
we
have
major
infrastructure
below
the
park
and
including
MWRA
lines.
So
thinking
about
what
does
that
look
like?
Where
is
that
going
to
be,
and
then
how
does
it
connect
out
to
the
outside
of
the
park?
So
how
does
it
connect
into
our
adjacent
neighbors
with
the
bay
side
work,
that's
happening
and
and
climate
ready,
Boston,
Dorchester
and
South
Boston
work.
Okay,.
B
D
B
C
Far
as
the
recreational
layout,
no
this
this
won't
determine
those
one
thing
about
the
berm.
The
reason
we've
identified
this
as
a
high
priority
item
is
one
is
not
only
the
40
inches
of
sea
level
rise
that
we're
expecting
in
the
future
Boston,
but
this
also
happens
to
be
one
of
the
major
places
for
flood
pathways.
The
water
here,
if
unabated,
will
eventually
connect
to
potential
flood
pathways
in
the
four
point
channel
area,
which
is
why
we're
also
advancing
plans
at
four
point.
C
It
then
begins
to
flood
neighborhoods
backwards,
including
infrastructure
like
the
Massachusetts
Turnpike,
and
the
red
line
so
really
do
have
to
start
making
Moakley
in
these
other
locations
is
one
of
our
first
lines
of
defense.
We
think
that
the
addition
of
some
of
these
resiliency
adaptations
once
they're
shown
feasible
through
the
permitting,
and
this
analysis
also
provides
a
major
recreational
opportunity.
C
So
if
you
are
raising
portion
of
the
field,
do
you
also
have
the
ability
to
have
that
field
dream
more
properly
right
now,
because
we
have
huge
drainage
issues
on
site
which
actually
affects
the
playability
of
those
fields
for
the
recreational
value.
So
the
idea
would
be
to
enhance
it
from
a
recreational
standpoint
or
we're
also
advancing
these
resiliency
guidelines
in.
B
C
That
design
it'd
be
it'd,
be
very
naive
of
the
of
our
plan
advancing
on
this
park.
If
we
didn't
consider
what
is
happening
with
Kazuko
circle,
especially
with
the
redevelopment
of
the
Bayside
site,
so
the
idea
is
to
coordinate
all
of
that
in
a
thoughtful
manner.
However,
we
also
don't
want
to
lose
the
opportunity
for
a
major
adaptation
intervention
that
actually
takes
care
of
one
of
those
flood
pathways.
So
if,
if
either
Kazuko
circle
and
the
transportation
plan
advances
great,
we
will
coordinate
in
that
way
or
vice
versa.
C
C
B
His
talk
and
coordination
when
all
that
developments
happening
and
I've
been
I'm
thinking,
specifically
above
the
bay
side
that
that,
when
that
starts
to
happen,
that
we
as
the
city
up
our
paying
attention
to
it
and
also
bringing
in
the
state
along
to
make
sure
that
they're
paying
attention.
So
we
can
get
some
relief
I.
C
Have
to
give
strong
credit
to
director
golden
at
the
Boston
Planning
and
Development
Agency,
as
well
as
chief
Osgood
they're,
very,
very
well
aware
of
the
South
Boston
transportation
issues
in
the
Dorchester
transportation
issues
in
that
area,
and
so
they're
laser
focus
on
making
sure
that
whatever
the
development
of
the
Bayside
site
is
not
only
is
it
providing
some
sort
of
coordination
and
hopefully
contribution
to
the
open
space
next
to
it,
but
that
also
people
can
still
navigate
the
area
and
a
thoughtful
way
in
a
safe
way.
Okay,
thank.
E
You
Ali
and
to
the
panelists.
Thank
you
for
the
important
work
that
you're
doing
for
the
residents
of
Boston.
As
you
know,
Moakley
Moakley
Park
is
an
important
asset
to
our
community,
but
it
is
vulnerable
to
climate
change,
since
it
is
right
next
to
the
to
the
ocean,
we
need
improvements
to
make
Moakley
Park
more
resilient
and
protect
the
park
from
future
flooding.
E
As
we
were
talking
about
here,
there
are
ways
to
help
prevent
future
flooding
by
getting
infrastructure
improvements,
natural
barriers
to
the
park
to
protect,
to
protect
the
park
in
absorb
water,
I'm
glad
that
this
grant
will
give
us
the
opportunity
to
improve
our
park
and
make
it
more
resilient.
I've
also
talked
to
Commissioner
cook
a
lot
about
increasing
tree
canopy
throughout
the
city
and
I
think
this
pot
could
really
use
more
more
trees
as
well.
E
I
also
want
to
mention
that
we
also
want
to
work
closely
with
the
South
Boston
residents,
our
youth
sports
programs
in
their
coaches,
to
ensure
that
the
design
of
Moakley
Park
takes
in
a
canoe
into
account.
All
of
the
work
that
these
programs
in
volunteers
do
for
our
youth,
our
youth
sports
programs
in
their
coaches,
parents
have
helped,
but
I
was
strong.
Our
young
people
on
the
right
path
for
generations.
We
we
need
to
make
sure
that
they
are
included
in
our
part
of
the
process.
E
I
spent
a
lot
of
time
this
summer
down
at
milk
we
park,
my
son
played
baseball
on
the
Babe
Ruth
Babe
Ruth
program
and
I
know.
The
mayor
was
down.
Moakley
Paco
bought
this
some
achoo
for
the
international
soccer
tournament.
We
had
National
Night
Out
down
there,
the
South
Boston
neighborhood
I
was
said
a
family
day.
So
there
was
a
lot
of
a
lot
of
people
using
the
park,
and
especially
this
international
soccer
program.
E
I
think
that
was
about
30
countries
playing
soccer
in
Moakley
Park,
and
it
was
just
a
great
tournament,
but
it
was
great
for
the
city
to
see
so
many
diverse
people
coming
together
playing
sports
learning,
learning
about
each
other's
backgrounds,
but
I
think
that's
what
sports
and
recreation
do
for
our
city.
It's
an
opportunity
for
people
to
come
together
on
the
on
the
court
or
on
the
field
and
compete,
but
makes
make
lasting
friendships
as
well,
so
I'm,
proud
of
the
work
the
parks
department
is
doing
so
I
want
to
say.
Thank
you.
E
C
We
do
see
Moakley
as
at
the
end
of
the
Emerald
Necklace
or
the
beginning
of
the
Emerald
Necklace,
so
you're,
looking
at
it
as
a
regional
park
that
people
from
all
over
the
city
can
come
and
enjoy
the
beach
amenity
and
then
the
park
in
the
open
space
itself.
But
we
do
have
to
be
very
intentional
throughout
the
planning
to
include
the
people
who
have
been
with
the
park
all
along
and
we're
excited
about
that.
And
we
do
think
in
general.
As
this
vision
plan
gets
implemented,
each
part
of
the
Vision
Plan
is
gonna.
C
D
I
would
just
say
that
this
is
going
to
be
a
really
dynamic
and
amazing
part
for
the
city,
and
we
know
that
in
order
to
achieve
that,
we
need
long-term
support
and
stewardship.
So
that's
really
involving
the
existing
South
Boston
organizations
and
working
with
people
who
are
there
that
have
been
there
for
50-plus
years.
Coaching.
Those
people
are
really
important
to
programming
this
space
and
to
providing
these
amazing
opportunities
for
youth.
D
I
agree
that
the
outreach
component
of
it
is
really
important,
and
so
we
have
in
the
past
and
some
open
houses,
but
we're
also
trying
to
expand
to
go
where
busy
people
are
so
thinking
about.
We
attended
the
Olly
Palooza
because
it
was
such
a
great
family
event
and
starting
to
get
feedback
from
kids
and
families
to
hear
what
was
really
important
to
them.
D
E
Thank
you.
My
final
question
is
I.
Think
council
of
Baker
also
is
playing
a
great
and
important
role
on
this
process
as
well.
So
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
to
Frank
Baker,
the
area
across
from
the
park.
Mary
Ellen,
McCormick,
public
housing
and
then
further
down
his
old
quality,
which
is
the
en
Lynch
homes
and
even
just
a
short
walk
away,
is
West
Broadway
development.
E
So
you
have
the
three
three
of
the
largest
public
housing
developments
in
in
the
city,
three
out
of
the
top
five
or
three
out
of
the
top
six
I,
don't
I,
don't
know,
I
don't
represent
Muriel
and
McCormick.
I
do
spend
a
lot
of
time
over
there
with
the
task
force,
though
I'm
wondering
when
we
have
when
we're
considering
the
design
implementation
of
the
park,
how
can
we
connect
the
public
housing
residents
to
Moakley
Park,
knowing
that
we
have
traffic
in
pedestrian
concerns
crossing
those
major
boulevards?
E
Even
though
I
live
a
half
a
mile
away
from
Moakley
Park,
it's
difficult
to
walk
there,
it's
difficult
to
park
there,
that's
right,
and
even
if
you
live
across
the
street
at
Mary
Ellen
McCallum
area
on
the
comic
development,
it's
very
difficult
to
even
cross
the
street
to
get
to
Moakley
park.
So
I'm
just
wondering
could
we
factor
those
concerns
in
as
we
go
through
this
process?
Counselor.
C
It's
a
superb
point
and
Allison
will
be
far
better
at
answering
than
I
I.
Just
want
to
emphasize
one
point
that
you
made
in
that
is
that
that's
part
of
the
reason
we
think
Moakley
is
such
an
exciting
project.
Is
that
as
you
look
at
super
parks
across
the
country,
you
have
these
concepts
of
that.
If
you
build
this
giant
amazing
park,
you're
actually
gonna
contribute
to
some
sort
of
gentrification-
that's
happening
in
the
neighborhood
to
have
an
amenity
like
this.
That
can
provide
resilience
and
Recreation
and
also
have
it
almost
surrounded
by
public
housing.
C
D
So
as
not
outside
of
this
grant,
we
are
working
starting
to
work
on
traffic
analysis
and
what
that
means
is
that
we
are
simply
looking
at
how
do
we
provide
safer
connections
as
a
parks
department?
We're
obviously
not
going
to
be
potentially
building
those
connections,
but
we
want
to
make
sure
that
we're
starting
to
elevate
those
conversations,
because
it's
really
important
to
make
safe
connections
not
only
from
Mary
Ellen,
McCormick
and
old
colony,
but
also
from
the
MBTA
station,
so
we're
having
those
conversations.
D
It's
also
really
important,
I
found
going
to
the
Unity
Festival
over
at
Mary,
L,
McCormick
and
talking
to
people
and
really
asking
them.
What
would
you
want
to
see
here?
How
would
you
get
to
the
other
side?
Is
there
a
different
way?
A
lot
of
they're
there
come
plants
were
that
they
like
using
the
pedestrian
bridge,
but
there's
often
homeless,
people
up
there
and
they're
afraid
to
go
other
aspects.
D
Are
that
it's
not
necessarily
that
connection,
but
it's
the
connection
from
the
beach
back
to
Mariel
and
McCormick,
because
the
park
it's
so
dark
at
night
that
people
are
afraid
to
cross
through
that
connection.
So
we
will
be
looking
at
all
the
connections
and
making
sure
that
the
neighborhood
not
only
Marielle
McCormick,
Old
Colony,
but
looking
at
Harbor
Point
and
how
everyone's
coming
into
the
park
and
from
MBTA
station
how
they're
coming
into
the
park
and
how
we
can
make
things
safer
and
more
accessible.
D
E
Excellent
I,
thank
you
for
your
comments
and
I,
especially
enjoyed
listening
to
you.
Talk
about
you
being
at
Mary,
Ellen
McCormick
for
the
Unity
Day
and
I
saw
you
there
and
I
thought
it
was
great
to
have
that
type
of
presence
on
a
hot
night
talking
to
residents
engaging
residents
about
about
an
important
park
right
across
the
across
the
street
from
that
development.
So
I
want
to
say
thank
you
for
for
being
there,
and
that
meant
a
lot
to
the
residents.
Thank.
A
You
councillor
Flynn,
so
is
there
a
timeline
in
terms
of
when
we
need
to
act
on
this
I
shouldn't
sooner
rather
than
later?
Obviously,
I
will
urge
quick
action
of
this
I.
Don't
know
that
we
can
get
it
for
tomorrow's
meeting,
although
we
will
certainly
try,
but
if,
if
for
some
reason,
there's
a
delay
next
Wednesday's
meeting
I
assume
would
be
sufficient,
perfect
and
then
is
there
a
timeline
that
that's
associated
with
this
1.5
million
dollar
grant?
Does
it
expire
after
two
years
three
years?
Is
it
one
year?
Okay?
A
C
A
A
A
E
Mowgli
no
I
would
say
Medal
of
Honor
Pok
for
a
couple
reasons.
They
had
the
first
Vietnam
Veterans
Memorial
in
the
country
built
for
the
South
Boston
men
that
were
killed
in
Vietnam.
So
that's
very
significant
to
me
and
my
family
might
is
also
a
plaque,
a
walkway
at
Medal
of
Honor
Park
in
memory
of
my
uncle
Dennis,
who
was
a
Boston
firefighter
and
also
a
decorated,
Vietnam
veteran,
so
that
that
park
means
a
lot
to
me
and
I
see
so
many
young
families,
using
it
all
the
time.
E
A
Your
answers
are
all
terrific
agree
with
all
of
them.
I
would
I
would
go
for
Boston
Park,
particularly
I'm
gonna
violate
my
own
rule
and
it's
a
tie
millennium
park
in
West
Roxbury
in
Jamaica
pond
with
the
Arboretum,
which
isn't
quite
a
Boston
Park.
Although
a
great
partnership
with
Harvard
is
special,
it's
where
I
got
married.
So
that's.
C
A
What's
your
favorite
Park
in
Boston,
Christopher,
Columbus
mm-hmm
best
view
I
love
it
all
right.
Well,
I
appreciate
all
of
you.
We
are
concluding
the
oh
I'm
sorry's.
Anyone
here
to
testify
on
this
hearing
speak
now
over
on
this
grant
speak
now
or
forever
hold
your
peace.
I
will
obviously
be
reporting.
This
matter
out,
favorably
from
the
committee
will
endeavor
our
best
to
get
this
out
tomorrow.
If
not,
it's
certainly
next
Wednesday
would
be
the
absolute
latest,
but
thank
you
all
for
your
great
work
on
behalf
of
the
city
of
Boston.