March 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 18

Front Page

Meet the Mayor: Boston Mayor
Thomas M. Menino
From Beantown to Greentown

oston's longest-serving mayor, Thomas Menino, was appointed to the
office in 1993 when his predecessor, Ray Flynn, became the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Since then, he has handily won re-election five
times and enjoys a high approval rating, due in part to his affable, down-toearth manner and his dedication to neighborhood livability issues. As a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with a degree in community
planning, Menino is extremely well versed in local issues and known for his
interest in the smallest details of planning and zoning. He has been a champion
for turning " Beantown " into " Greentown " by adding hundreds of acres of new
green space, thousands of new trees, miles of new bike lanes, and a number of
green building standards. His leadership was recognized recently when Boston
was named as the third-greenest city in the nation.
How did you become such a strong
proponent of parks and open space?
When I think back to my childhood
in Boston, the local parks stand out
in my memories. Something fun was
always happening-baseball was
played, friends were made, and many
a summer evening was spent whiling
away the hours in games and talk. As
a youngster, I was outside as much as
possible. My brother and I would be
very active, often enjoying fishing in
the summer and sledding in the winter.
Frequently, there'd be spontaneous fun
at a park like pickup basketball. I'll always be grateful that I learned to play
tennis, since my wife and I met each
other while playing tennis with friends
on adjacent courts in a neighborhood
park in Roslindale.
You are called the " Urban Mechanic. "
How did you come to pursue such a
nuts-and-bolts approach to community improvement?
My goal is to make the city work for all
the people. Making things work starts
Mayor Menino greets children at
McKinney Playground in Boston.

Parks & Recreation

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with the " nuts and bolts. " If sidewalks
are in good shape, roads get plowed in
the winter, trash is picked up on time,
streetlights are working, and flowers and trees are planted to make the
neighborhoods beautiful, then all else
follows. If you pay attention to basic
city services, then you are on the way
to having a great quality of life for residents of the city. Neighborhood pride
results from paying attention to these
" urban mechanic " issues. Pay attention
to basic city services and all else will follow: high-quality cultural institutions,
thriving business districts, and citizens
who feel lucky to be living in one of the
best cities in America.
You emphasize social justice in your
administration. How do you apply
these values to parks, recreation, and
open space?
My goal is to have a Boston that works
for all its residents. This means parks
must work for all, no matter what street
a person lives on, and no matter a person's income or ethnicity. With some of
our park renovation projects, we have
gone the extra mile to incorporate features that are appropriate to people in
that park's particular neighborhood.
For example, a park in Roxbury now
has ornate fencing medallions which
show symbols from African cultures for
such concepts as hope and love. In other
parks, we have added features that appeal to people of certain backgrounds
who live nearby, such as a cricket field
in Jamaica Plain and a bocce court in
the North End. As mayor, I am committed to providing residents with a
nearby park that meets their needs and
reflects the cultural diversity of our city.
Boston was named the third-greenest
city in America. Can you explain how
this was accomplished and what can
other cities learn from your experience?
Boston ranks high as being one of the

March 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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