Cars visiting police headquarters park illegally on the grass behind the Reggie Lewis center.
(Christina Pazzanese for The Boston Globe)
Globe Watch
Parking woes put the squeeze on reader
Cars visiting police headquarters park illegally on the grass behind the Reggie Lewis center.
(Christina Pazzanese for The Boston Globe)
Sure, parking is hard to find around Boston Police Headquarters in Roxbury. But should the shortage mean that visitors, employees, and others doing business there be allowed to park on the sidewalks and grass behind the nearby Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center?
“I run daytime operations and oversee our parking lots for the Reggie Lewis Center. Something has to be done about the cars parking on the sidewalk,’’ writes tipster Steven Keyes. Cars are coming up the center’s driveway and then driving up on the grass behind the building, he said. “The cars are coming within three feet of our doors. So I’m clear - the space outside our rear doors is our property and is not a fire lane or driving path.’’
Earlier this month, one driver nearly ran over some people leaving the center, Keyes said. “I was escorting two electricians here at the Reggie Lewis Center out the back doors to retrieve supplies from their van in our rear lot,’’ he said. “As we stepped out the doors, a woman driving a white Acura whipped right in front of us and up onto the sidewalk. Be aware we have senior citizens who exit out those doors after their senior exercise class!’’
A visit last week by a Globe reporter found more than a half-dozen cars parked on the sidewalk and grass along Tremont. One driver in a white sedan backed down the sidewalk for about 25 feet in order to maneuver into a space. Keyes said he rarely sees anyone ticketed, which he believes contributes to the sense that it’s OK to park there.
“Keep in mind I believe the majority of people committing this offense are people working at police headquarters and folks just leaving their car there to work in downtown Boston - not the police officers themselves. Although I’m sure there are a handful of officers parking on the sidewalk, too,’’ he said.
The city responds
Normally, the Boston Transportation Department tickets parking scofflaws, but when violators are near city police stations, the department defers to police because it “would be a duplication of the city’s personnel resources,’’ said spokeswoman Tracey Ganiatsos.“There is enforcement there,’’ said Officer James Kenneally, spokesman for the Boston Police Department. “Ideally, there should be more parking [at police headquarters], but there is not.’’ The station has parking for 80 vehicles, but about 600 workers use the facility on a typical day, police officials told GlobeWatch during a previous inquiry into parking at the station.
There are times when violators are the center’s patrons. “It goes both ways,’’ said Kenneally, who noted that during track meets and other large-scale events at the center, attendees often park on the grass and sidewalks, but do not get ticketed. Kenneally suggested that Keyes call 911 if there is an immediate situation or to contact the Area B-2 station’s community service office to discuss resolving the problem in the long term.
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