#2 Put Trash In Its Place (and Have More Places)

Kendra writes us suggesting that although with any city life trash is inevitable, its seems sometimes Dorchester has it worse then other parts of Boston. She says, "plastic bottles, chip bags, and piles of canine poop" litter the streets and that we can do better. We agree.

Doing a little of our own research, we walked from Ashmont to Fields Corner today - and counted only 12 trash cans along the mile long stretch of the Avenue. In fact, most barrels were grouped 2 or 3 together in 5 locations (It was particularly trash-can absent near Town Field and Ashmont Station). This lack of recycling and trash receptacles must have been what drove one man further down the Avenue to throw his trash into someone's front yard (a.k.a. unofficial trash can). This is a two-part improvement involving infrastructure and personal responsibility. The people of Dorchester do walk around, and should be encouraged to do so, as a result there should be both trash AND recycling cans along the main roads, such as Dorchester and Blue Hill Avenues and Columbia Road (particularly near bus stops and subways station entrances) and highly populated side streets. We must also encourage personal responsibility among our fellow residents, until we get those bins (see photos for exemplars) pack it with you (think back-country manners), pick up after your pets, and if you feel so moved, do a little extra for the sake of the neighborhood.

We would like to encourage all Dorchester residents to contract Mayor Constitute Services and inform them of the need for more trash cans on Dorchester Ave. - www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/24/.

Do you think this is a good idea? Rate below.

(Pictures from San Francisco [notice the ultra-smart recycle bin hood], New York City, and Paris)

#1 More Outdoor Seating in Dorchester

There is something that all great cities have: Paris, San Francisco, New York, Montreal ... they have a plethora of outdoor dining options. We need more of it in Dorchester. Dining al fresco is most exciting accompanied by good people watching, and we think Dorchester provides some great people to watch. A soundtrack of bird songs, friendly chatter and the commotion of the city is both relaxing and invigorating and encourages community interaction with the unexpected friend walking by. Outdoor seating wears down the barrier between the community and the establishment, creating an inviting atmosphere for all. It is a 'celebration of the season' when the weather is welcoming, and Bostonians can't get enough when the sun is out.

We commend the outdoor dining of: The Ashmont Grill, The Blarney Stone, and dbar. We recommend outdoor dining for: Any other current and future establishments.

Do you think this is a good idea? Rate below.

(Pictures from outdoor cafes in Paris 2007)

The Think Tank

We moved to the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston just over two years ago. From the day we moved in, we fell in love with what we believe to be Boston's best and most underrated neighborhood. We have lived in many places, but never found a place that fit us so well. Dorchester is the most diverse neighborhood of the city. Blacks, Whites, Asians, Latinos, gay, strait, young and old make their homes on our street alone. Here people help one another and you know your neighbors (something so rare in a city as large as Boston). Dorchester has a spirit of rebirth and future promise, and it is both a blank canvas and a wealth of tradition. Dorchester is urban chic, while still allowing quiet side streets. It has music, art, and culture.

Our original blog about Dorchester (Lower Dot) was created to share those things in our neighborhood that we think really shine. We wanted it to be a showcase for both those inside and outside the neighborhood putting a spotlight on makes south Dorchester great.

This is our latest venture in the world of blogging. It is our visions for the future of Dorchester. Like corporations and organizations have think tanks that advocate certain issues, we hope to create a forum to highlight the wants and hopes of our neighborhood.