Brave New Roslindale

The neighborhoods of the City of Boston have gone through significant changes in the last 30 years.  As the demographics have changed, so indeed have the neighborhoods changed…radically.  Traditionally,  most of the city neighborhoods were ethnic enclaves onto themselves, each with it’s predominant social character and political power base.  The Italians populated the North End, The Irish populated South Boston, African Americans populated Roxbury.  Roslindale was different than many of the other city neighborhoods. Roslindale accepted everyone. Roslindale was always ethnically diverse and attracted people from all backgrounds. Roslindale opened it’s arms to Greeks, Lebanese, Irish, Italians, Hispanics, African Americans and many others.  Roslindale’s tradition was as a family-oriented, blue collar community.  Roslindale was always a pretty easy going community.  It was affordable.  It’s nature was accepting and forgiving.  Living in Roslindale was uncomplicated and, in general, everyone got along.  Roslindale’s sense of community embraced people of all races, ethnic backgrounds and of varying economic status.

Like other parts of the city, change is coming to Roslindale. Roslindale is in the process of a major re-zoning process which will affect the character of the future of the neighborhood.  The question is: Will Roslindale retain it’s easy going nature or change into something unrecognizable to itself?  Will Roslindale lose it’s community identity?  Will it change dramatically as the South Boston community has in the last few years?

As I sat in my seat at the last Community meeting on re-zoning June 20th at the Knights of Columbus Hall, I was struck by the make-up of the 15 member neighborhood council members.  Clearly, these are concerned citizens with the best of intentions.  However, it did not appear to me that the committee represented ‘old” Roslindale.  In other words, Roslindale citizens with Roslindale roots.  My impression was that the 15 member committee represented the “new” Roslindale.  The committee appeared to be comprised of white collar professional-types.  Where were the bus drivers, policemen, laborers & firemen?  I don’t think “old” Roslindale was present on the board.

Change is inevitable.  I lived in Roslindale before Sushi came to the Village.  I like Sushi, but I do hope that the “new” leaders Roslindale do not effect such a dramtic change that the “old” Roslndale is lost in the process.  I hope that the new Roslindale is sensitive to the old community identity which fared quite well over the years…on it’s own.  Roslindale Village has a lot of charm & I can see why it has become attractive to young white-collar home buyers.  However, zoning has often been used a mechanism by wealthy communities to keep the undesirable out.  A couple of remarks were made the meeting that had a possessive quality to them which concerned me a little.  My hope is that the re-zoning of Roslindale does not result in over protectiveness of this easy going Boston neighborhood.  I hope that the “new” Roslindale does not become exclusionary, upscale and unaffordable. This would be antithetical to the reasonable nature of this city neighborhood and disrespectful to it’s tradition.  Despite all the good intentions, I hope this will not be Roslindale’s fate.

Posted by: Deirdre White on June 27, 2007
Filed Under Lifestyle, Neighborhood News, Roslindale 

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