ENC price tag, Wollaston Gardens, and climate superfund
A shorter update this week but some big events to report on (the first is hot off the presses!):
The administration and the owners of the Eastern Nazarene College campus in Wollaston have agreed on a purchase price of $21 million for the 27-acre property. The mayor will submit a request for that, plus some additional money for contingencies, to the council on Monday, May 4. The council will then schedule committee meetings for the following weeks to discuss the proposal. More info:
Summary of community feedback on ENC purchase
The licensing board on Tuesday approved a proposal by local real estate agent Austin Partain to host an outdoor community space with food, alcohol, and music at the site of the old Wollaston Theater on Beale Street. Last week Mr. Partain reached out to tell me about his plan for the space, which he’s calling “Wollaston Gardens.”
The lot that used to house the Wollaston Theater has been empty for years (Image: Google Maps)
He said the space would be open every Thursday (4 – 9 pm), Friday (4 – 10 pm), Saturday (12 – 10 pm), and Sunday (12 – 7 pm), from Friday, May 15, through early fall. Two shipping containers would remain onsite, one to sell food from Cielo Mexican Restaurant and one to sell alcohol from Widowmaker Brewing, and local food trucks might also rotate through. Small musical acts would perform on Friday and Saturday evenings, and people of all ages could sit around propane fire pits or play games like giant Connect4.
At the license board meeting, several neighbors expressed enthusiasm for the plan (both in person and through comments I read out), and an abutting business owner raised some concerns, including plans for bathroom facilities, trash, parking, and pedestrian safety. Mr. Partain said there would be three porta potties (one with handicap access), trash pickup (he’s also open to collecting food waste in separate locking bins to minimize rat issues), and a dozen or so parking spaces onsite (the MBTA lot is also a short walk away). License board members said they and police officers would be monitoring safety and other concerns and could reassess the project if problems arose. The board approved the project unanimously.
Learn more about the proposed project here (Illustration: The Wollaston Gardens)
The council meeting on Monday included a presentation on the city’s debt (read the associated materials) and a helpful overview of the Community Preservation program, which I described in the last newsletter.
The next 15 years will see the City responsible for high annual debt payments (and as the small print shows, this graph does not show half a billion dollars in short-term debt that will need to be permanently financed in the same time period)
In addition, the council unanimously approved a resolution that Ward 3 Councilor Walter Hubley and I co-sponsored, requesting that state legislators adopt a bill that would see the biggest greenhouse gas polluters from the past three decades pay into a fund that would be used for local climate resilience projects. Seawall work since 2011 and repairs from the 2018 nor’easter Riley have cost our city more than $26 million, so any outside funding sources would really help coastal communities like Quincy manage the effects of climate change. State Senator Keenan already supports the Senate version of the bill; let’s hope our three state reps sign onto the House version and push to get the legislation enacted! Sign this petition to show your support.
Some supporters of Quincy’s climate superfund resolution before the council meeting on Monday
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Upcoming events and reminders
Before June 1: Fill out and mail back your city census or submit it online to stay on the active voter list!
Before May 8: Sign up for weekly food waste pickup through Black Earthand get 20% off your first invoice using the code “EARTHDAY2026”. Getting food out of the trash not only helps the environment but also reduces rat populations by removing one of their main food sources!
Coming weeks: Nominate a local business for a free executive training program! The program, designed to help small businesses in under-resourced communities, starts on June 24 at an in-person meeting at Quincy College, then continues with digital learning and one-on-one coaching. Nomination form.
Thursday, April 30, 5 pm: Deadline to send comments about National Grid’s proposed rate hike to state oversight agency. Email dpu.efiling@mass.gov and DPU2650.GridRateCase@mass.gov. Comments, including email addresses, will be posted unredacted.
Thursday, April 30, 6 pm: Next in-person resident council meeting. Fill out this form for details.
Thursday, April 30, 6 pm @ One Merrymount Parkway: Share your thoughts about dog runs in neighborhood parks.
Saturday, May 3, 9 am – noon: Cleaner, Greener Quincy. Find a location near you and volunteer with your neighbors to help keep the city looking good! Afterwards, go to Pageant Field for a free cookout from 12:30 – 3 pm.
Monday, May 4: City council meeting. The agenda will be posted here by Thursday evening, but the plan is for the mayor to propose the fiscal year 2027 budget and put in a request to purchase the ENC campus for $21 million.
Wednesday, May 6, 6 – 8 pm @ Alba (1486 Hancock): “Multilingual Rent Control Informational meeting to discuss how proposed policies may impact our local residents, businesses, and community,” hosted by the Quincy Chamber of Commerce and Housing for Massachusetts. RSVP required, limited to 80 attendees.
Thursday, May 7, 7 am to 3:15 pm @ 440 East Squantum St: Dana Farber’s Mammography Van. Pre-register for a mammogram in the van (insurance required) by calling 617.632.1974 or emailing mammo_van@dfci.harvard.edu. A mammogram saved my life – anyone 40 or over should consider taking advantage of this local opportunity for a screening!
Saturday, May 9, 10 am @ Richardson Room of main library (40 Washington): Publicmemorial for former Mayor Jim Sheets.
Monday, May 11, 7:30 pm @ Second floor of Old City Hall (1305 Hancock): Public hearing on FY2027 proposed budget and finance committee meeting. Come share your thoughts about the budget proposal, which the mayor will present to the council on May 4.
Friday, May 15, 9 am – 3:30 pm @ 440 East Squantum Street:Blood drive. Sign up here or walk in. Donors will receive a $15 gift card as thanks.
Saturday, May 16, 8:30 – 10:30 am @ Sailors Home Pond (78 Rice Road): Turtle release! 🐢
Saturday, May 16, 1 – 7 pm @ Adams Green (1305 Hancock): Classic Rock Concert.
Monday, May 18, 11:30 am @ 80 Clay Street: Public hearing on Quincy Housing Authority’s Draft Annual Plan. Submit written comments or direct questions to jmarathas@quincyha.com.
Tuesday, May 19, 7 pm @ Second floor of Old City Hall (1305 Hancock): Council finance committee meeting on proposed FY2027 budget.
Wednesday, May 20, 10 am – 2 pm @ 440 East Squantum Street: Free skin cancer screening in van. Call 617.376.1023 to register.
Tuesday, June 2, 7 pm @ Second floor of Old City Hall (1305 Hancock): Council finance committee meeting on proposed FY27 budget.
Saturday, June 13 @ 7 pm: Flag Day parade, followed by fireworks.
Resources and ways to plug in
Anyone interested in serving as a volunteer on a city board or commission can send a note with your interest and background to the mayor’s chief of staff, Chris Walker, at cwalker@quincyma.gov. Please cc me at mmckee@quincyma.gov if you’d like me to follow up on your application.
To receive future newsletters by email, please sign up here.
To sign up for a resident council, fill out this form.
To learn about local organizations you can join and volunteer with, go here (and feel free to add any that are missing!).
City’s Community Resource Guide.
Report a pothole: Call 617-376-1914 or email potholehotline@quincyma.gov.
Report streetlight outages: Call 617-376-1478
The City’s Department of Elder Services offers FREE transportation to medical appointments for Quincy adults aged 60 and over. Call 617-376-1242 to register and schedule rides.
Free legal help: Lawyers Clearinghouse offers three legal clinics to help connect people with free legal help: (1) low-income and homeless clinic (they take a variety of cases but not immigration or family law); (2) record sealing and expungement (since people's records often keep them out of jobs and housing); (3) tax lien foreclosure (for people who are facing foreclosure by the city because they haven't paid their property taxes). If you or anyone you know could use their help, please contact Sean Thekkeparayil (sthekkeparayil@lawyersclearinghouse.org).
If you see federal agents in Quincy, please stay a safe distance away and call LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts with as much information as you can so they can verify the sightings: (617) 370-5023.
Before May 8: Sign up for weekly food waste pickup through Black Earth and get 20% off your first invoice using the code “EARTHDAY2026”. Getting food out of the trash not only helps the environment but also reduces rat populations by removing one of their main food sources!
Coming weeks: Nominate a local business for a free executive training program! Theprogram, designed to help small businesses in under-resourced communities, starts on June 24 at an in-person meeting at Quincy College, then continues with digital learning and one-on-one coaching. Nomination form.
