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Newmarket Square businesses to mayor: Get the Long Island bridge rebuilt already
By adamg on Fri, 08/12/2016 - 5:51pm
Newmarket Square businesses will soon begin a campaign to urge the mayor to get Long Island open again - or find another place where addicts can get treatment and counseling away from their streets and the drug dealers who prey on them.
"Can we afford to (rebuild the bridge)?" Sue Sullivan of the Newmarket Business Association asked this morning. "I don't think we can afford not to."
At a meeting of the Southampton/Mass. Ave./Newmarket Safety Task Force, Sullivan and business owners told police and addiction-treatment providers that even aside from the disruptions to their businesses, the explosion in numbers of addicts wandering the streets outside nearby treatment centers is taking a toll on the psyches of business owners and workers: Sullivan said it's hard to watch people they can do nothing to help.
"It's inhumane how everyone is on the street here," where pushers practically leap on them as soon as they get out of methadone clinics and they put themselves at risk from getting hit by a car or worse, she said. On Long Island, at least, people would be away from dealers and other risks as they get treatment, she said.
Because of the number of treatment centers in the area, Newmarket Square - where the South End, Roxbury and Dorchester meet - has become Ground Zero in the city's opioid crisis, increasingly referred to as Methadone mile.
The task force's meetings over the past few months have been dominated by discussions about what to do about addicts and the problems they cause - from needles left in the local school playground to constant near crashes on the roads many stumble into.
BPD Sgt. Samil Silta, who oversees community services at B-2, said he recently compiled a list of things the city could do to make the area safer by encouraging addicts not to stick around after they get their methadone doses in the morning - from installing brighter street lights to planting large thorn bushes where people now congregate along Melnea Cass Boulevard to removing one particular guardrail on Melnea Cass that has become a popular place for people to practice karate. Five-day patrols by the BPD bicycle squad will soon go to seven days a week, he added.
But steps like that are really only of incremental value, because addicts will continue to come to the area. Arrests, when possible - heroin addicts often consume their drugs immediately on purchase, so they have none on them when questioned by police - are just not solving the problem, he said. In fact, he said, some addicts are now deliberately consuming higher doses of drugs, because they know if they go too far, first responders can bring them back with Narcan, he said. He added that even an ongoing program to get area businesses to install surveillance cameras tied to the BPD "intelligence center" might actually prove counterproductive - addicts might actually cluster under them knowing it increases their odds of getting the lifesaving drug when they overdose.
Business owners and state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry said the area's treatment programs may need to step up their street work to try to get addicts to stop sticking around. Dorcena Forry said it shouldn't have to fall on the sheriff's department to send out crews to remove needles from the playground. Silta said the clinics should emulate the Pine Street Inn, which has outreach workers in vests patrolling Harrison Avenue ensuring clients are not loitering or are getting help.
Officials at several Newmarket-area treatment programs said they are willing to consider increasing their presence on the street, but said federal privacy laws limit what they can do out in the street, in a way that they wouldn't limit Pine Street Inn street workers. One said it would be illegal for a street worker to approach a clinic patient in the street and talk to him if that would let somebody else know the person was a patient.
The Boston Public Health Commission, meanwhile, plans to start training four outreach workers to walk the streets of Newmarket during the day and try to get addicts - many of whom also have mental-health issues - immediate help. Training begins Monday and the commission hopes to have the workers on the streets the next week.
Clinic workers expressed frustration at a statewide system in which it can take four months for somebody who wants to end an addiction cycle from getting into a bed at a treatment center.
Norma Reppucci, vice president of operations at Community Substance Abuse Centers, said it was even misleading to refer to the "Methadone Mile," because "it is not, it's the social-service mile." At her program, addicts get counseling to go with their medication. She added one possible answer to the neighborhood issue might be as simple as putting a T bus stop right outside her facility's doors: Patients could then get on a bus right away and go back to their homes.
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Comments
Amen.
We need more voices adding to the chorus, pointing out the horrible job the mayor is doing with quality-of-life issues. What are the takeaways from his first (and only, if things keep deteriorating) term? The ill-fated Olympic bid. The Indy race fiasco. And the dilly-dalling over the disastrous Long Island situation. I was happy to vote for him, but he has lost me. For all his faults, Menino never let things get this bad, through good economic times and bad. And these are supposed to be boon times in Boston!
Um
I think your claim that Menino didn't let the situation with the Long Island Bridge get bad is a bit divorced from what actually happened. By the time he left office, the bridge was so gone vehicles weren't allowed to cross.
That said, the merchants are right. A long term plan is needed
How about a ferry back to the island?
If we can run a year round commuter ferry to Hingham and Quincy, there is no reason why we can't reopen the island with a ferry. Maybe have a company sponsor the thing.
Emergency access?
You can't shelter hundreds of people in a building without fire and police and medical responders having ready access to get there in case of emergency.
Each day in the summer
We have hundreds of people on Spectacle Island, George's Island, Lovell Island and various others. What do we do when we have an emergency then?
They're not sleeping in dormitories.
There are in fact no large occupied buildings on any of those islands.
I'm sure various agencies could and respond by boat for isolated emergencies.
If you can't see the difference between that and having hundreds of basically unwell people and staff sleeping on an island I can't help you.
I would bet just about anything that liability concerns would rule out any large scale City of Boston occur ion of those buildings w/o a bridge. It ain't going to happen..
Thompson Island has only a ferry
and doesn't it, in the summertime, have people staying there overnight?
Again, not 100's in dorms thru winter, etc.
Logistics of emergency response is completely different.
This can be provided (at a price)
There is already a fire station, which, as Fox25 reported earlier this week, is still staffed, at least when the camp is in session. So, you add a few more fire fighters, say 2 cops per shift (or maybe put a police boat out there to start with), and all Boston firefighters are EMT trained, and there you go.
Remember that at the end, the bridge was basically a long footbridge. They were still able to offer services on the island.
Boatstitution — Ferries And A Few Other Specialized Boats
Long Island is situated directly in the center, between the two ferry routes from Hingham and Hull to downtown Boston. It makes total sense to add Long Island as a stop in the Ⓣ's ferry service, just as it previously had a route in the Ⓣ's bus service.
Of course, a little money would need to be invested to add and/or upgrade dock facilities, but such things can be done very quickly and for but a fraction of the cost it will take to ultimately build a new bridge. The trip to Boston would be very quick, compared to using a bus through Quincy and the heavy traffic of the Southeast Expressway.
As others have mentioned, you need other ways of getting to the mainland for emergencies, or just simple logistics of personnel and supplies. Surely, these needs could be met with a few smaller vessels, including an ambulance boat.
Long Island would be an ideal location to have an ambulance boat station — In addition to serving the island itself, the boats could respond to emergencies all around the Boston Harbor area.
I'm not a sailor myself, but I know that for centuries, people in Boston have been acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to travel across the waters of Massachusetts Bay efficiently and safely using boats. There's no reason why boats can't be substituted for other transit service to Long Island.
Boatstitution!
Existing ferry routes probably won't work
I take one of those ferries. They are close to capacity at rush hour. You would actually need more ferries. Also the fare is $9.25 one way at that is after being subsidized.
Docks and other facilities would have to be built or enhanced for the ferries and perhaps the police boat and ambulance boat mentioned. Arrangements would have to be made to quickly get more fire personnel and equipment onto the island in case of large scale incident.
And quickly get large numbers of people (perhaps injured) off the island in case of disaster.
Remember, until right before the bridge closed ambulances could drive right on and off the island. Hundreds if needed.
QFD and BFD Fire trucks could unload some of their gear and personnel and still cross bridge.
Supplies needed for a large facility feeding and sleeping 100's could be trucked in as well.
Having all emergency services as well as staff and clients, and all supplies using only boat access is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.
Could it all be done? Certainly. Will it? Certainly not. Have you ever in your lifetime seen, for the benefit of the indigent and powerless, any kind of large scale operation and interagency cooperation such as this would require?
Nope, and you never will. Boston doesn't have the budget if they wanted to do it. The state has no real skin in this game.
Very slight chance a bridge could be built but I highly doubt that will ever happen either.
BTW, the problems this facility caused in Quincy weren't negligible. Their NIMBYism is not total nonsense.
They have a right to raise and have addressed their major concerns regarding a replacement bridge.
I truly hope a solution is found for these needy people and they get the help they need.
Unfortunately I doubt that will be on Long Island.
Endless Excuses— And, The Situation Will Just Keep Getting Worse
Don't kill the messenger, Elmer
I'm all for getting these poor souls the help and shelter they need.
I don't care if it's on Long Island by ferry or by boat or at a new location.
Just really don't see it happening, sadly.
And I'm not making excuses for anyone, just pointing out political and physical realities.
Seems we need big people with big bold ideas and the willingness to take risks to move on this.
See any of those around?
I Know, You're Just Speaking As An Anonymous Messenger ...
... and the excuses you're relaying are those we typically hear from government officials who express little interest in finding any practical solutions. I agree with you totally about there being no politicians with the courage to tackle the problem.
I think where we disagree is in accepting the situation — when people start believing that it's "the best we can do" and "things will never get any better", then the politicians are let off the hook. Instead, they need to be taken to task over it — because it isn't acceptable.
Please don't put words in my mouth, Elmer
You're not quoting me in those "quotes."
(I've changed my user name so it's more clear who's posting.)
I completely agree with you that the situation is unacceptable. I'm all for practical solutions or even impractical ones if they're a long term fix.
I just see ferries as a non-starter, politically and practically. Might as well suggest Star Trek transporters. Additionally, if this is a temporary solution as soon as the funding goes away the ferries do too.
BTW, please see my response to Waquiot. I think that Moon Island is a viable solution that the City could actually achieve without the complete political goodwill of the State or the city of Quincy.
Moon Island facilities could be up and running before the environmental studies are done on a new bridge and probably before the Coast Guard, MBTA, the BFD and BPD and whatever building inspectors would have to allow occupancy again could even sign off on a ferry plan. (And negotiate with Boston Harbor Cruises for the add'l ferry service. They run the T ferries under contract.)
Heck, let's build some prefabs ASAP and then transition to permanent structures.
It's Not About Isolating "Undesirables" On A Desolate Island
You apparently don't realize how extensive the treatment facilities on Long Island were. If you take a look on Google Maps, you'll see there's a significant campus of multistory buildings. A lot of money was invested by the organizations running programs there, with no knowledge that the bridge would suddenly be taken away without warning.
The isolated nature of an island location was secondary. It was the facilities where the treatment programs were provided that changed peoples lives. Even if there was enough space on Moon Island (which there isn't), it would cost many millions of dollars to duplicate the same facilities there — surely, many times more than the cost of simply replacing the bridge.
I wasn't quoting you in those "quotes" — if I did, it would look like this:
Let's agree to agree, Elmer
I'm all for the programs on LI and wish they stayed there and hope they can be returned there.
And wish the best for the poor souls needing those services.
Nothing wrong with hoping for the best.
That gives me an idea
So, the city has to find a place where addicts could be relatively isolated from drugs, like an island. So we are looking for city land, too. For decades neighbors kept the bridge to Long Island from being repaired so that option is a tough one.
The solution is simple- move the firing range to Long Island and put detox facilities and whatnot on Moon Island.
Bravo, Waquiot!
Now that's creative thinking!
I'm the anon that simply doesn't think the ferries will happen but this is brilliant.
Boats are expensive to run and maintain.
The BFD training academy is already there, with apparatus. For the cost of the bridge you could probably build buildings and there'd be no future bridge maintenance nor study costs.
Emergency ambulance and other responder access is already there. Heck you could eventually put a ferry/police/fire boat dock/facility there as well as a long term way to perhaps mitigate some of Quincy's concerns.
Give the LI farm back to the programs with boat service to and from the islands. Lease more of LI to non-profits or even for profit groups to recoup expenses. Perhaps put a wind farm there to power Moon Island.
(Never allow this land to be sold for development though.)
Brilliant idea! Kudos.
Point taken.
But I was blaming the current mayor not for the bridge failure itself, but for the unconscionable delay in dealing with the fallout. You're right though -- the late mayor should bear some responsibility for letting the bridge situation deteriorate.
Oh, he owns the answer
But I think it is not too easy to come up with one.
Option 1 is to rebuild the bridge. This costs money. So, you need to find funding. Show me the money.
Option 2 is to find a better place for the services. Like a lot of people, I see the merit in Long Island, but if the money is not there, this is the only other way. The problem with that is that, let's be honest, no one wants these people near them. East Boston would gripe. Mattapan would gripe. Beacon Hill would scream bloody murder, and so on.
Option 3 is to just give up, which is the state we are at now. The irony is that since the methadone mile (a title that predates the bridge crisis) is hurting so bad, we have businesses doing the best job keeping pressure on the city.
They both suck
But hey, vote Democrat again.
Like, I get voting Democrat at a national level (ewww), because you don't want non-New England conservatives making stupid rules about weed and abortions. But I don't understand why cities keep voting Democrat for local offices, where money management is paramount. We got it right at the state level. We put the GOP in there, and I don't see Charlie declaring war on blacks and ovaries.
As for the matter at hand, for the second time this week, if you're going to have a war on drugs, have a (expletive) war. Either run over dealers with a tank, or run over addicts with a tank, or run over both with a tank. Jesus, we got out of Vietnam faster than this.
Right
Charlie Baker is sure showing lots of leadership on this, too.
We should also blame Quincy NIMBY nonsense for this, too. Maybe we should get a bunch of snakes to help them get over it?
Not Quincy's fault
You can leave Quincy out of this blame for this. Boston owns the island and bridge. Quincy had no part in deciding to close the bridge and to tear it down without a replacement.
Quincy wanted it shut and Long Isl. turned into their rec area
Look it up - the land side of the bridge launches from Quincy.
Plenty of news over the last 5 years where Quincy fought and stalled and delayed any attempts to repair the bridge and planned to file suit if there was replacement.
Like I said - google it.
source: http://sparechangenews.net/2014/05/infrastructure-inequality-battle-fix-...
Quincy has a huge amount to do with this, and it should be given shame where it is due. They fought repairs and rebuilding so that the bridge would be shut down and the island could become a playground for their rich boat owners.
Rich boat owners from Quincy?
You've got to be kidding me. You think that's a constituency or influence wielding group? good Lord. Please stop reading Spare Change and drive down to Wollaston beach and then tell me how rich the the boat owners at Wollaston and Squantum Yacht Clubs are.
I doubt most boats in Marina Bay are even owned by Quincy residents but it's not a bastion of luxury yachts either.
The issue is traffic thru Squantum and resident access to the islands.
Please answer honestly:
If the City of Boston owned land at the end of your street and denied you any access, even pedestrian rights to walk, would you be inclined to support any efforts they made to improve their own access to said land? Would you try to elect representatives that fought for your rights and your property values? Would you be opposed to more construction traffic (and future traffic in general) and take the City of Boston's word that everything will be fine?
Doubt it.
BTW, I'm all for the services on LI. And I'm from Boston, not a boat owner but did once rent in Quincy and my legislators were very responsive.
Boston should have repaired the bridge when they could. They could have barged in the equipment and done repairs from their side. They could have found the political capital to make it happen. they could have reached a deal with Quincy.
I do not believe for a second that Quincy's state delegation had the juice to prevent this bridge from being repaired if Boston fought for it.
The bottom line is Menino, Walsh as state rep, and the rest of Boston's city, state and Federal politicians didn't see the opioid crisis coming and kicked the can down the road.
Quincy has no reason to feel shamed over their NIMBYism, in my humble opinion. I'd do the same if I owned property in Squantum and honestly ask why Boston couldn't work with my community if it wanted to be a good neighbor.
Please read the linked article
And try again.
Quincy long wanted to take over the island as a recreational facility - it goes back to the Flynn administration
Quincy repeatedly worked to block funding to fix the bridge.
Read first, then react. The reality is simply there.
PS: I drive through that area all the time, as my MIL and several of my husband's family members are down there. Bite me.
I read the link, Swirly
Before my first response and again before this one.
Didn't see a word about rich boat owners.
I know a few boat owners in Quincy. they're day sailors and fisherman. Out trying to catch stripers for dinner for their families.
You drive thru their all the time? Have you seen guys in Nantucket reds and yacht caps drinking wine at the BeachComber?
Or eating Oysters Rockerfeller at Tony's Clam Shack?
Give me a break.
Is doxing allowed here?
I believe I have uncovered Mr. Will LaTulippe's true identity. He just forgot to say that he would be awarding medals for those actions.
Quincy deserves most of the blame
Because access to LI goes through Quincy, repairs require that city's approval. And because Quincy wanted the bridge down, they consistently used that as leverage to delay repairs or fight Boston's requests for state funding to make larger repairs.
Whether it was pressuring Romney into putting a hold on approved bond funding for bridge repairs in 2003 or fighting Boston's request for $40m from the Patrick admin for bridge repairs, Quincy officials consistently argued that repairing the bridge was a "waste of public money."
Well, they got what they wanted.
Nonsense.
Spend $100 million to build a bridge so you and your pearl clutcher crowd don't have to see the ugliness of addiction. Everything is Walsh's fault is a constructive way to sole the problem.
Are you referring to pearl clutchers in Quincy, Buick?
If so you're way off base. (If not please disregard this post.)
Have you been to Quincy Center lately? Q. has it's own massive addiction crisis and substantial homeless problem.
The residents of Squantum didn't see the addicts or homeless on Long Island. (They were bussed or shuttled in and couldn't walk up to the gate if they wanted to.)
They saw the traffic and this is what they opposed.
I'm sure they feared bridge repairs would create much more traffic during construction and potentially much more traffic afterwards as the bridge would be more functional.
Not the noblest of motives when the result is loss of services to the truly needy but their opposition can't be tied to addiction in anyway.
Trust me, if Boston tries to rebuild the bridge and repurpose LI for development or any other use Squantum residents, and their political representatives, will fight that tooth and nail. Even if it's a marina that will only allow luxury cars thru the gate.
Those are the facts.
It is not about not seeing the homeless
This is about serving the needs of society and the needs of people struggling with addiction and homelessness.The reason Long Island worked is because it provided a refuge for people working through their issues and trying to get clean.
That is a huge reason to get these facilities up and running again. It isn't because people want homeless people out of sight (yes, some do, but so what?), but that many of the homeless want and need to be away from the city while they get themselves together. I have worked downtown since 2009 and I have talked to some of these people - mostly the older ones - who are only downtown now because they don't feel that they have any choice during the day if they want shelter at night.
If you have some perverse need to see the homeless and addicted so that you can claim moral high ground to scold others who want to talk about the issues that large addict and homeless populations raise in places where people live and work, you might want to reevaluate your own life. Or, maybe, make some constructive comments and more economical and problem solving types of suggestions instead of whining about the costs from your moral mountain.
Headline typo fixed
I can't even blame my phone this time. But it did lead to this:
Adorable!
Mahty's friends over at
Mahty's friends over at Corcoran Jennison should speak the fuck up to the Mayor. They own Crosstown Center.
How about
We actually start doing something about the dealers instead of playing nonstop catch and release?
Demand driven market
No demand, suppliers go away. Addiciton creates demand, not pushers.
Sure thing
Let's treat malaria by putting band aids on people and completely ignore that swamp full of mosquitos. And while we're at it, people are born heroin addicts, dope peddlers have absolutely nothing to do with it, amirite?
A huge population of the
A huge population of the people currently involved in the current opiate crisis started off on legal prescription opiates, which have been getting grossly over-prescribed for years now; so you'll have to start out by arresting the CEO of Perdue Pharma if you're targeting dealers
Exactly right.
Thanks for providing some much needed context. And also, I'm glad you used the term "dealer." I think "pusher" describes a relationship between buyer and seller that rarely, if ever, exists.
Oops, double post.
Sorry.
Dear Ignorant Anon
If people are properly treated for Malaria, a swampful of mosquitos won't become infected and infect more people. Malaria cannot exist where densities of human populations (aka reservoirs of the pathogen) are too low to sustain the cycle of infection.
Your analogy is improperly deployed here, due to your ignorance of the transmission cycle for malaria.
Properly deployed, it works just fine: treat the addicts = no market = no dealers. Treat malaria (or find a vaccine) = no humans infected = no mosquitos infected.
Make a nice fat contribution
To the mayor's war chest; I'm sure he'd then return your calls, maybe invite you over for tea and crumpets.
The Island is the only answer!
Long term, a state of the art Treatment & Rehab center on the Island only connected via a Ferry is the way to go. The details can be worked out. The ruination of this whole area of Boston is a Damn Shame. This whole area is CRAZY! Marty now owns Menino's garbage--You gotta clean it up Marty. "Take the Chaos and turn it into an Opportunity".
What do other large urban
What do other large urban areas in the United States, that don'y happen to have an isolated island available for shelter and treatment facilities, do to handle the location of shelters and clinics?
You people are ridiculous
Don't you understand we have helicopters in this city with no place to land?!?
GE
Has anyone seen the renderings of GE's headquarters in Southie?
Long Island
Sorry folks but addicts and sex offenders will not be returning to Shutter Island. Waterfront condos and a gated community for the young and the restless will be the future of the island.
What about emergencies?
I mean, won't there be emergencies and a bridge?
How much longer
to the election?
Island
The island solution keeps some of the users sober. but they Still need a job or something to do every day......maybe they could work on the island?
They already did. The island
They already did. The island was home to a number of farming programs for the homeless that Marty handed over to b.good free of charge without even consulting any of the programs that used to run them.
Where will the problem be
Where will the problem be shuffled to after Newmarket? The Commons and Downtown are already being ruined. What neighborhood is next?
The South Boston Waterfront
Let the Yuppies and the wealthy Chinese share n City living.
West End
The West End is pretty sad.
What's so sad
about the West End?
I get the feeling some people think cities like Boston should be like Disney World 24/7/365.
The West End is sad because ...
... it used to be a neighborhood, and that neighborhood got demolished and its residents displaced. There isn't really a West End anymore, though there's still a West End library branch.
(But I don't see how any of this is relevant to the topic at hand.)
South Bay
Some of the outstanding citizens are starting to occupy South Bay. Maybe Home Depot and Office Max should start blasting the Mayor also.
BTW Governor Baker has nothing to do with Moon Island.
The Commons are being ruined?
Where in Boston would I find the Commons? Never heard of 'em.
Karate?
This seems totally unrelated to the main issue:
If this is a popular activity, why not set aside a section of parkland for it and other martial arts?
Lost in translation?
I can see that guardrail from my living room window and I walk by it everyday. I haven't seen this. Quite frankly, the regulars that frequent that spot just usually seem to be soaking up the shade. Sometimes trading pills too. There was a fight out there a few weeks ago, but since one of the participants was trying to beat his opponent with part of a broken crutch I assumed that it wasn't a formal sparring session.
"It's not acceptable and it's
http://www.wcvb.com/news/methadone-mile-5-investigates-looks-inside-a-hu...
Ya think? I'm curious how many people turned to heroin AFTER the bridge closed. Sleeping on concrete has got to hurt, both physically and psychologically. Homelessness sucks, but at least they had a relatively safe place to sleep.
There was a video of Mayor Trashbag and Daniel Koh, visiting the homeless in DTX last Winter. I can't find it, but i'll never forget Koh's shit-eatting grin, as though he was a child on a Whale Watch. Martin J Walsh, is a thin-skinned narcissist. He consistently proves he doesn't understand addiction or homelessness.
The bridge has been non
The bridge has been non performing since the early 70's .
The City of Boston cant even resolve the Northern Ave bridge .
Quincy will not allow any more homeless solutions ect. in that area, which is also abutted by Marina Bay $$$ .
There will be no bridge, and the BFD and others will not be moved as a swap solution.
Things cost money , there is very little left. That remaining island has a future as a gated community, as time and circumstances evolve to favor that type of thing,
Reopen LI recovery programs with a ferry and ambulance boat now!
The Long Island "campus" has long served as a public health facility. Besides several buildings, some recently upgraded (Victory Programs alone spent $2 m renovating its building), there is a fire substation, water system, health clinic, industrial grade kitchen and farm. Long Island was supported by ferry boats for decades before the bridge was first built, in 1950; it actually supported a much larger population in the early 20th century, than when the bridge was torn down.
When the bridge was closed by Walsh in October 2014, there were 700 people living on LI, 430+ in a homeless shelter, and 265 in 11 residential recovery programs. The shelter has been "replaced", more or less, on Southhampton Street, arguably a better location for homeless people. But not all the recovery programs have reopened, and certainly the need for ADDITIONAL programs is desperately clear. Locating these on LI, away from environmental "triggers" for addiction or the hazards of Methadone Mile, would help meet this need.
Walsh can and should reopen LI for residential recovery programs, asap. They could have been continued on LI, with a ferry and ambulance boat for emergencies, in October 2014; there was no need for the separate decision, to suddenly evacuate these programs with no notice or plan. People in recovery were abruptly dumped on the street, without their clothing, identify papers, or medical records. Some died and/or relapsed, as a result.
When asked, Walsh's minions have claimed that the state refused to allow the residential programs to reopen with ferry service. But that is not true, no more so than the administration's lie that the state ordered the bridge to close (Walsh later admitted that he made the decision, not the state, but only after Spare Change News and the Globe exposed this).
According to state officials, from both administrations, the City never submitted a plan to reopen them; the state never denied permission to reopen. By reopening the 24 hour clinic on LI (which was staffed by medical volunteers, who have been highly critical of the City's decisions here), and utilizing an ambulance boat or helicopter for emergencies, the City could easily come up with an acceptable plan.
In November 2014, Jack Connors offered to fund a ferry service for five years to keep LI open for recovery programs, and to upgrade the dock for better year round access, with private funds. Walsh refused. Connors has since restored electric service and demonstrated the ease of transporting hundreds of people daily by ferry to LI, through Camp Harbor View; the farm has reopened, presumably with post-summer ferry access, as well. Why can't the City do this, for the thousands of addicts desperately seeking recovery, to offer additional safe and healthy resources at the LI campus?
Closing a large shelter with
Closing a large shelter with no advance planning will certainly cause problems.
But why does everyone insist having a shelter out on Long Island is the best solution? I would think there are downsides to sweeping the homeless and addiction problems under the rug by isolating them out on a harbor island. The transportation costs are large. And the commute makes it harder for anyone with things to do during the day, like looking for work. People would have to line up at the crack of dawn so they could get on a bus without having to wait all morning.
So, If Not Long Island, Where Then?
See it larger
No one is insisting it must be on Long Island, but the reality is that's where the facilities are. You seem to be under the misperception that it's nothing but a homeless shelter, when it fact there were many types of programs helping people with many aspects of recovering their lives.
Where is Boston can you find the space for all this? How much are you willing to pay for the land? How much are you willing to pay to construct new buildings and/or renovate other buildings to repurpose them for all the programs that ran on Long Island?
It's a terrible, shameful waste to have everything already there on Long Island — right now — yet tantalizingly out-of-reach for people who need it desperately.
This is a serious problem
This is a serious problem and it has a Marty Walsh tag on it. It is a shame!!!!!!!!, My compliments go out to Mayor Menino, he did a super job keeping the City of Boston looking good, Rest in peace Mayor Menino, you are gone but not forgotten,
Praise Menino all you want ...
But he had 20 years to fix the bridge problem and did nothing. It was only pure luck it lasted long enough to become the next guy's problem.
Well, you know
After reading things here, my claim is that both the current and dearly departed previous mayors are less to blame for this than the city to the southeast of Boston.
On the other hand, yes, Menino could have planned for this, since we all knew it was coming (just not as quick), but just like the trouble Walsh is having finding a good place to recreate the services, it's very tough.