A Walk Celebrating Revitalization in Roslindale

by Cathy Slade

On June 16, one of the first glorious, sun-filled Saturdays of the summer season, about thirty people gathered at Adams Park in Roslindale Village to walk Roslindale and learn about some of the history and revitalization efforts in the neighborhood. They set out on a leisurely stroll in and around the hub of Roslindale, initiated by Walk Boston, a pedestrian advocacy group which has been offering "State Reps Walks" in the city. In Roslindale, State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez had the honor of leading walkers through his district. In our neighborhood, sponsors were Healthy Roslindale, the Roslindale Historical Society, and Roslindale Village Main Street ("RVMS"). The theme of the walk was "From Hidden Gem to Bustling Village: A Walk Celebrating Revitalization in Roslindale," with historic landmarks and rejuvenated properties as its highlights.

The group set out from South Street to Belgrade Avenue, and the first stop was Alexander the Great Park. This was the sight of a former gas station abandoned until the mid-nineties when the city designed the park. A bust of Alexander the Great graces the center of the small park and was a gift to the City of Boston from the City of Athens, Greece. Situated across the street from St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, it is a reminder of the prominence of Greek Americans in Roslindale.

The group proceeded to Fallon Field, a beautifully kept city park that boasts a baseball field, a tot lot, two basketball courts, a tennis court, and a street-hockey rink. The outfield of the baseball diamond is used as a soccer field. Old pictures of the field show a much different layout, with a large clubhouse on the grounds. The park is named after John T. Fallon, a World War I hero.

The next stop on South Street was the Russian Orthodox Church of the Epiphany at the corner of Bradfield Avenue. The church was built in 1975 and has an onion-dome. An interesting indoor feature is that the church has no pews and its parishioners stand for a two-hour service every Sunday!

The walkers then turned back toward the Village and visited the Longfellow House, a former elementary school which is now senior-citizen housing. Long-abandoned as the Longfellow School, the building sat vacant until eventually housing the Boston Police Department's Canine Unit for a few years. In the Nineties neighbors worked with the Menino administration to plan a more vital use. The result is a wonderful building managed by Rogerson Communities containing forty housing units, a nice library and a community room. Participants in the group marveled at the landscaping and beautiful flower gardens that grace the building's frontage.

From there the group walked up Walter Street to Peter's Hill in the Arnold Arboretum. On the side of the hill lies the Walter Street Burial Ground, an open-air burial ground in the City of Boston. It is the final resting place of soldiers who died of smallpox during the Revolutionary War. Originally buried by the Monument on the grounds of the Loring Greenough House in Jamaica Plain that once served as a hospital, the soldiers were re-interred here. Among the names that grace the now-submerged stones are "Parker" and "Weld," once prominent families in Roslindale.

The group then headed back to Roslindale Village where Representative Sanchez praised community leaders and civic groups for their foresight, persistence, and focused efforts to revitalize the central business district. He pointed to the boutiques on Birch Street, the many fine restaurants, and the fairly new supermarket that joined the Village's long-established successful businesses to create a diversified, reinvigorated and vital center of neighborhood activity.

As participants finished the walk, they thanked Rep. Sanchez and organizers for a delightful morning spent learning more about the area. Many remarked that everyone should take time to enjoy a stroll through the neighborhood and walk for pleasure, exercise, and/or errands.