neighbors | InCity Times

Text and photos by Rosalie Tirella

Sure the Canal District and surrounding area seems to have become a dumping ground for garbage galore and shooting gallery/stabbing/gun hot-spot! I am on the horn almost every day with city officials and state reps asking for the garbage to be removed, the extra Worcester Police Department foot patrols to be deployed …

But then there’s this HEAVEN-SENT stuff happening …

… A wonderful garden in my back yard (right where I found the used junky syringe!). Here’s Jett getting nosy with a lovely squash!! We’ve got tomatoes, too! And (had) sunflowers!

… My downstairs neighbor is the sweetest! She gives me her cool clothes and pocketbooks! She’s quite the fashion plate and gets bored with her stuff real quick! So … Here I am several days ago, heading out the door to run InCity Times, wearing one of her pretty blouses! Now mine! Thanks, in-city gal pal!

My other downstairs neighbor came upstairs and gave me some Halloween cupcakes and cookies, along with this BEAUTIFUL card! I love the message PEACE FOREVER EVERYWHERE… This was after I went down to her place and gave her and her roommate a thank-you gift for a gift they had given me! How awesome are these people? Right in the middle of all the shootings and stabbings … all this love!

And today I am making a Halloween fun gift for the kids across the street because they helped my roundup a homeless street kitten that needed a good home! These boys were the best! Here is Jett back at my shack being nosy (again) with their pumpkin I am about to fill with candy!

The time to make up your mind about the hood is – NEVER!!

November 16, 2010

Dear City Councilors,

On behalf of the entire Holy Cross Community of faculty, staff, and students, I thank you for recognizing the progress made over the past year in improving communication and addressing neighborhood concerns about the off-campus behavior of some Holy Cross students.

I want to assure you that concerns have been heard and the College takes them very seriously. There have been some setbacks, but we are addressing them with both immediate actions and sustainable change.

In cooperation with Worcester Police, the College has already taken steps to control student behavior in the neighborhood and we have begun work on a more comprehensive plan to advance relationships of consistent and mutual respect in the College Hill neighborhood. We remain committed to following up on every incident of off-campus misbehavior and applying appropriate sanctions.

Our goal is to implement additional practical and enforceable changes to how we respond to behavior that disrupts the College Hill neighborhood.

While these changes will take some time to develop and implement, we look forward to sharing the results of our collective efforts with you.

As President of the College of the Holy Cross, I take responsibility for and will lead these efforts; but the enforceablility and good working relationships required for real progress is dependent on the continued involvement of the reliable and accountable expertise of leaders throughout the College. To that end, I am joined by Timothy R. Austin, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean; Michael Lochhead, Vice President for Administration and Finance; Jacqueline D. Peterson, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students; Paul Irish, Assistant to the Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Conduct; Robert Hart, Director of Public Safety; Ketherine Robertson, Special Assistant for Community Relations; and others throughout my administration.

The success of this effort relies on the College, City officials, Worcester Police, neighbors and students working together in mutually respectful and collaborative ways. We have indeed made progress in addresssing quality-of-life issues for our closest neighbors, and we look forward to building on what has been accomplished.

Very truly yours,

Michael C. McFarland, S.J.
President [College of the Holy Cross]