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Spring has arrived and the daffodils that we planted last fall and in prior years are now showing their green leaves along Centre Street. This season is a great time for our neighborhood and we are excited about the spring beginning of neighborhood street sweeping and infrastructure maintenance by the City of Boston, amazing promotions by community partners, and our bi-annual community cleanup where we make the neighborhood sparkle and ensure that our street trees are healthy for the growing season.
Spring is also a robust time for merchants in our neighborhood so we'll be working with them to encourage more shopping, dining, and use of business services in Hyde & Jackson Squares. Read upcoming editions of Hyde Jackson Monthly to learn about programs that keep dollars flowing locally in our great neighborhood this growing season.
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Community Cleanup, Street Tree Maintenance, and Spring Plantings
Saturday, April 30
9:00 am
Each spring and fall we lead energetic groups of volunteers who make our streets shine and ensure that our street trees are thriving. On Saturday, April 30 come along with us and enjoy some coffee and snacks while helping us to beautify our stretch down Centre Street by planting flowers, shoveling fresh mulch on our street tree pits, and disposing of litter.
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Our mulching crew in October 2015.
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This has been a great activity in which to meet other neighbors that care about our gem of a neighborhood, learn more about Main Street, and get some exercise and fresh air. This year we'll have activities for kids to plant flowers and spruce up the neighborhood. We'll be meeting at Mozart Playground at 10 Mozart Street (corner of Centre Street) at 9:00 am.
To make sure we have enough tools, hot chocolate, coffee, water, and snacks for kids and adults alike, please RSVP your participation at info@hydejacksonsquare.org or just call us.
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Main Street Recap
Community Asset Mapping at Our Annual Meeting
On March 8 at our Annual Meeting, we launched our Community Asset Mapping project. Thanks to The Frogmore restaurant for delicious appetizers and a fantastic venue, a diverse group of attendees, and solid work by our volunteers, this year's Annual Meeting was a real success. Attendees had ample time to enjoy networking and food, learn about last year's progress, and engage in lively discussions on the strengths of the neighborhood as they relate to design, promotion, economic development, and organizations.
Lots of great discussions at our Annual Meeting on March 8.
Our Community Asset Mapping Project is a year-long effort to gather information on positive attributes that make the neighborhood great (people, places, businesses, institutional resources, etc.). Implemented by our volunteer committees, we'll be gathering data and researching histories as well as reaching out to community residents, workers, business owners, and community organizations to understand positive perspectives about the neighborhood. Resulting from this strength-based approach, we will develop strategies to strengthen the neighborhood based upon our community's wealth. Importantly, the results of this project will be made available for community organizations to use to improve the neighborhood.
We are hoping that this project will be complementary to the
Imagine Boston 2030 initiative which will guide the City of Boston to create the first city-wide master plan in 50 years.
If you are interested in helping out on our Community Asset Mapping project, please contact us. We'd be happy to plug you in to the project.
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Neighborhood News
We're Almost There: Boston Water and Sewer to Begin Last Phase of Utility Work along Centre St.
The Boston Water and Sewer Commission will be commencing their project to replace the water main along Centre Street in our neighborhood in April. This project follows 2 years of work along Centre Street to replace the gas main by National Grid. Boston Water anticipates a 3 - 4 month project to replace their aging 100 year-old pipes.
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Our retailers & restaurateurs will be fully open during the work.
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We are eagerly looking forward to completion of this last phase as the neighborhood's infrastructure undergoes an upgrade. Working with our merchants, we have been trying to identify ways to reduce the impact of this project on our commercial business district by possibly lengthening daily construction schedules and developing business promotions campaigns. All travel lanes of Centre Street will be maintained throughout the work.
This project will also involve removing lead pipes for businesses and residential buildings near to the street, a great benefit to improve the safety of our water.
You can follow our Facebook page and this newsletter for project updates, customer appreciation promotions, and project progress celebrations. The Boston Water and Sewer Commission will also provide updates on their project page.
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Business
Corner
Information and Free Trainings for Our Merchants
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a program for small businesses that links learning to action. Through the program, participants will gain practical skills in topics such as negotiation, marketing, and employee management that can immediately be put into action. In addition, participants will receive the tools and professional support they need to develop a strategic and customized business growth plan that will take their company to the next level.
Register for an upcoming webinar and contact them at 10ksb@icic.org or
617-238-3028. The informational webinar schedule is:
-Tuesday, April 5 from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
-Thursday April 14 from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
JPNDC Training
Entrepreneurism 101
Do you want to start your own business? Are you a small business owner wanting to improve your finances to stabilize or expand your business? Do you dream of getting up to date with your business bookkeeping, accounting, and finances? Do you wish you knew how to better manager the financial health of your business?
To participate in this training you must have completed a Family Financial Skills training or be referred by the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) Small Business Program. Trainings will be held on Wednesdays, May 5 and May 12 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm.
For more information please call 617-522-3694.
SBA Trainings and Resources
Emerging Leaders Initiative
The Small Business Administration (SBA) Emerging Leaders Initiative is a federal training initiative that specifically focuses on executives of businesses poised for growth in historically challenged communities. The initiative provides executives with the organizational framework, resource network, and motivation required to build sustainable businesses and promote economic development within urban communities.
Learn more and to register.
Affordable Care Act 101 Webinar
SBA and Small Business Majority will host free Affordable Care Act 101 webinars so small business owners can learn the basics of the Affordable Care Act and how they can enroll in health insurance marketplaces. The webinars begin at 2:00 pm:
SBA Online Trainings
SBA has many free online trainings that can help you in your business.
Click here for a complete list of trainings.
SCORE Trainings
SCORE Online Workshops
The Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) has many online workshops and services.
Click here for a list of online workshops.
Other Business Training Resources
If you would like to receive further information specific to the business community (workshops, meetings, etc.), please register/re-register
here by typing your email address and clicking "Go". Instructions will be send to you to change your profile. Or you can send us an email to info@hydejackonsquare to change your profile.
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Main Street Activities
Tree Maintenance & Community Cleanup
Saturday, April 30
9:00 am
Meet at Mozart Park
Spring Sidewalk Sale
Saturday, May 14
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Along Centre Street
Other Neighborhood Activities
Monday, April 4
6:00 pm
Connolly Public Library
433 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain State of Our Neighborhood
Thursday, April 7
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
J.F. Kennedy Elementary School
7 Bolster Street
Mondays & Wednesdays
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Youth Development Ctr. (behind Blessed Sacrament Church)
361 Centre Street
Sponsored by Hyde Square Task Force
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Do you have neighborhood news that you'd like others to know about or information about a meeting, activity, or event that you'd like to post? Send listings or ideas to info@hydejacksonsquare.org or call 617-522-3694.
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