Boston Globe: Bocce players on a roll in North End
By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff | May 15, 2009
The North End
Our Mayor, Our North End
Mayor Menino and his Administration are no strangers to the North End. The Mayor is a familiar figure on Hanover Street, whether the occasion is the Columbus Day parade, hosting dignitaries from out of town at one of the North End’s great restaurants, or visiting senior citizens at one of several housing developments in the neighborhood. Mayor Menino knows well that the North End isn’t just a place for great food; it’s a place with great people, young and old alike.
For this reason, the Mayor was particularly proud recently to invest in the expansion and upgrade of the North End Music and Performing Arts Center. The Center offers music training for young people, community theatre productions for teenagers, Italian language instruction and neighborhood arts programs.
This investment was the latest of a series of major capital investments Mayor Menino has made in the North End, as the heavily utilized Mirabella Pool has had a new bathhouse and concession area built; the North End Little League Field has been reconstructed, the Nazzaro Center remodeled and the Christopher Columbus Park upgraded.
The Mayor has also been a strong advocate for the North End community through the construction of the Central Artery, as well as the current design of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. He successfully defended North End shoppers when discounted parking at Haymarket Garage was under discussion, in order to continue attracting North End commerce.
