New Year's Wishes for JP

Each week the JP Patch Moms Council tackles a parenting topic. This week we ask what these JP moms want for our neighborhood in 2012.

: A stronger effort to focus on youth.

There are many things I would like to see for JP in 2012 but I think what is most need are more services that focus on youth.

I feel this population is often the most overlooked but yet have the biggest spotlight put on them when violence occurs. When shootings occur the local message boards flair up with concerns about violence and youth. The questions always center on “what are we doing for the youth”? Why is it that only when violence occurs we are concerned about the youth? The violence is not against JP but rather against each other and this spills into the community.  BUT WAIT – these youth ARE the community.

What are we doing as a community to afford more opportunities to the youth of JP?  The is an amazing organization but focuses primarily on the Latino population in Hyde Square. The has five working sub-committees but none of them really focus on youth or adolescent issues.

When a shooting took place at Same Old Place, the community came together to show support for the pizzeria but what about the youth of JP?  They are a hard population to reach and engage.  It would require long term focus and planning, but the ultimate results would justify the efforts. I would like to see Jamaica Plain make a stronger effort to focus on youth in 2012.

: Creating community is a major goal of mine for 2012.

As a board member of the Centre/South Main Streets board and a member of the CAC for the redesign of Centre and South street - I have huge wishes for JP.

I would love to see the street-scape improvements with new garbage cans, acorn street lights and expanded greener sidewalks. I want to see more social gatherings. I'm really interested in joining or startinga  resilience circle and/or becoming part of an affinity group. I believe that we may see more shifts in the outside world and we would do well to become a stronger, more interwoven community.

I'm excited about First Thursdays occurring every month and I'm working with the JP Forum to have events from 8-10 that would include: films, talent shows, open mic poetry and other creative outlets. I would love to see the hidden talent of the JP residents come out and be seen.

Creating community is a major goal of mine for 2012.  The JP community is what keeps me here and I love seeing more connections made to enliven and enrich us all.

Fewer vacant properties on South Street

In 2012, I'd like: 

• Fewer vacant properties on South Street.
• More cold weather play spaces for children over the age of 6.
• Fewer delays on the Orange Line and 39 bus.
• To not have to worry about the city taking us through another round of will-they-or-won't-they close the .

Are these things too much to ask?