so good morning my name is Briana malor I am the chief of community engagement and I get to work for the community and work to get work alongside this amazing mayor I'm happy to be here with you all to celebrate the expansion of open streets to High Park so this is really [Applause] exciting so to kick it off I want to pass it over to our mayor to speak good morning thank you so much Madame Chief um it's wonderful to be here with so many Community leaders and friends and people who are working to make this community one of the models around the country for how we take care of each other and how we continue building uh welcoming city um I'm here with several colleagues who you'll hear from shortly as well in addition to our amazing chief of community engagement uh Chief mure I'm joined by our chief of streets Yasha Franklin Hodge as well as our friends and oh actually I saw rep consalvo please come up as well state representative Rob consalvo your hometown rep um members from our office of Tourism and special events from uh all the different city departments as well as friends and partners in who have been making these events possible very very grateful for shaa Bryant who is the founder and CEO of shaa Bryant Consulting who [Applause] who every single year has helped bring our streets to life and fill them with community and so we are grateful and excited to be working with her again this year and her team um also thankful for Emily pantel the owner of Hy Park based events by Emily if you have if you've been to any of our open streets events so far you've probably seen Emily's balloon art bringing that bold energy and color to celebrate our neighborhoods and shout out to Madame President uh ruy Luan who just joined us as well when we first launched open streets in 2022 the first three neighborhoods to test out the idea were Jamaica plane Roxberry and Dorchester we didn't know how it would go to ma manage the massive undertaking of closing down down major roads for a period of hours and just seeing if anyone would show up and fill the streets but it turned out to be beyond our wildest imagination of how many people came out small businesses who put tables out in the street games dancing residents of every generation kids riding bikes and just running free not having to worry about holding on to their parents' hand in the face of of potential traffic seniors who were just set up watching over their their part of the community as they always do it turns out that reclaiming our streets even for one day helps build community in a way that lasts all year long so last year we expanded open streets to add alustin Brighton and East Boston as well and again the response was overwhelming so we're going to continue expanding and this year as you heard Hyde Park is the newest member added to the [Applause] lineup so this year we'll start with Dorchester in May followed by Roxbury Jamaica plane Hyde Park and East Boston before rounding out the open Street season with alustin Brighton in October and not only are we expanding the number of neighborhoods that will have open streets events we're also expanding the hours that each of these events will be open in previous years they ended at 3:30 in the afternoon but in the summer that's leaving a lot of valuable sunlight on the table and so this year our streets will be open for an extra hour and a half running from 10:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. we'll have food trucks art music activities for every generation and to help beat the summer heat the Boston fire department and our office of emergency management will be introducing misting stations at some events along with the water truck that Boston Water and Sewer Commission provides so if you are feeling like we should be getting warmer weather already why is it so cold and why is it so gray still you can get a jump start on that by going to boston.gov open streets and get excited for the summer I also want to mention the other one of our major open streets projects open Newberry which has been a longstanding one and is a little bit different from the others in that it's not just one day the entire street but several weekends in a row we're still working with the local businesses and other stakeholders to finalize details but we look forward to announcing those open Newberry dates in the next few months so that will definitely happen uh but stay on the lookout for the details so I look forward to seeing everyone in Dorchester and May and then across our entire city including hide Park um now before I hand it over to Emily open streets parest Roxberry Jamaica plane hi Park East Boston open streets Austin Brighton in OCT Emergency Management boston.gov streets stre um thank you so much everyone for being here with us I am very excited to pass it over to let me just I will check the list so we have no no one okay so next will be Emily um then Tien Simpson director of hide Park main streets Yasha Franklin Hajj our chief of streets and then I'll invite up any of our elected officials we also joined by counselor Pepin here uh to say a few words as well [Applause] Emily hello everybody my name is Emily on and balloon stylist at events by Emily we are located in the heart of H High Park R in Fairmont a I'm very excited to be uh bringing open streets this year to High Park only because we've been um in collaboration with open Street for the past eight routes but this year we are able to bring it to High Park where we're from um my parents have lived there for many years we have our business there um so we are very excited to be bringing um something very different um and a surprise um at our storefront to be able to share um with you guys um being a balloon artist bringing fun andjoy to these events have not only been a passion um at what we do but being there at install 5 6 in the morning and leaving at 3:30 sometimes we're exhausted to go home but the way that we see community building and all the kids and and family getting together we often times just stay for the event and enjoy it even though we're tired from work working um so I think that bringing it to High Park and expanding in like we like we did last year at alustin Brighton and East Boston um is something that I can see for the future just getting bigger and bigger so we are very excited um and thrilled to be bringing it to High Park this year um and bringing more fun and joy for families and [Applause] community good morning everyone my name is tan Simpson I am the executive director of High Park main streets and I just want to say welcome to High Park um I remember last year saying to myself oh I'm so envious of these neighborhoods that have open streets and then when I heard about the possibility of High Park having this event I was so excited and when it was official I couldn't contain my excitement and then when I got the email saying please share with your business owners I was like Yay so we just want to say thank you mayor thank you um city of Boston this is um such a great opportunity it also showcased the commercial district and the businesses and we hope that we will be able to have people outside of our neighborhood come see High Park for the first time and hopefully they'll come back for another visit thank [Applause] you uh thank you Tian Emily and mayor uh hi everybody good morning I'm Yasha Franklin hjge I'm the chief of streets uh for the city of Boston um over the last few years it's been so exciting to see open streets grow into a true annual tradition here in Boston year after year thousands of our residents get to experience the streets as vibrant shared public spaces and this year we're not only adding the neighborhood of H of Hy Park to the list but as the mayor said we're extending the hours each day to 5:00 pm. yeah open streets are a great opportunity to explore a new neighborhood in our city as they showcase the best of the communities where they happen the local artists nonprofits musicians small businesses everyone who comes out to participate is what gives these events their energy their sense of celebration in the streets cabinet we are also working closely with uh many of our partners most notably the commission on persons with disabilities to ensure that open streets is inclusive and accessible for everyone this includes adding midblock ramps for wheelchair access to the street making sure that sidewalks maintain a clear path of travel uh and ensuring that corner curb ramps and intersections remain clear so that people can move we'll also be working with the programming staff to make sure that the activities have accessible tables uh so that they are also open to all uh and as necessary we will relocate any accessible parking spaces that are impacted by the event as the dates come closer you can find information about parking restrictions and any MBTA bus route changes at boston.gov slopen streets um I want to also just take a second to thank all the streets cabinet staff who are so critical to making this event happen uh we have you know it's sort of an all hands on deck effort when these events take place we have our sign shop putting up the no parking signs and letting folks know about the changes we have our Public Works Crews who are out making sure that the streets are clean and ready and then picking up the the litter at the end of the day um we have our enforcement team from BTD that helps make sure that the streets are clear of cars and that it's a safe route and so in that Spirit of talking about enforcement we also ask for everyone's cooperation to uh on the day of make sure that you move your car uh so we don't have to tow it and so that we can have a safe clear route for the event uh I also want to talk about uh so just say thank you briefly to some of our other partners you know as you kind of see this is a real team effort effort uh both within the city and Beyond the city uh the Boston Police Department for uh helping us plan these events the routes and for keeping everybody safe uh during the day uh we have our mayor's office of economic uh inclusion opportunity and inclusion who uh do incredible work to make sure that open streets is a success for our small business Community um the mayor's office of Arts tourism uh and entertainment for helping again to kind of plan these events and make sure that all the complicated pieces that have to work together are there uh and uh uh Shan o'briant for uh just this incredible year aftere work to produce these events and and make them just such a such a joyous celebration uh ultimately though you know there's many partners but open streets are special because of the people who turn out and show up and participate um so I just want to say thank you to everyone for welcoming your neighbors and for welcoming people from across the city to into your community sharing what makes your neighborhood and your your neighbors uh so unique and special and uh you know helps people really understand the the the parts of the city that maybe they don't see every day um I can't wait to see you all at an event later this year and uh with that I think uh we're going to turn it over to some of the elected officials to speak counselor you like to oh I'm sorry chief M my apologies sorry to Ste the show um but we definitely want to pass it over to our lead curator event producer um sha o Brian thank you for all your work we want to give you opportunity to say a few [Applause] words hello um so as you all know this is year three of being able to expand open streets we've gone from three neighborhoods of five to now six because the community is asking for it and so it really is a joy um as a native born and raised in rockberry doorchester matap pan uh to be able to be the the organizer of such joy for uh neighborhoods in the community and so it has been a pleasure to work with the city of Boston particularly the the streets cabinet and the and the tourism The Economic Department uh to really just make sure that this is a family fun event and I would be remiss if I didn't uh mention my team that without them I could not do this this is a team of somewhere around 12 Personnel that come out uh and we plan for 10 months right and then we are on the route from 5:00 A.M to 6 pm to make sure that everything is done uh and it really is a memorable event for for the community and so again thank you for this this amazing opportunity as a native Bostonian um to really do something that becomes a legacy similar to The Kite Festival which is the ultimate goal so thank [Applause] you um before we hope pass it over to the electeds I wanted to just underscore how much this is all a collaborative effort I also want to make a personal shout out to CC siisy Graham who is the High Park mayor's liaison so thank you for your leadership on this as many people mentioned it's an opportunity to have our the best of Boston has on display at open streets so please contact your neighborhood liaison in the respective neighborhoods to you know table to have an opportunity to promote your business this is really an opportunity so for each and every neighborhood to celebrate what makes each neighborhood unique so thank you for your leadership and thank you mayor and I want to pass it over to um city city councelor um of District district 5 Enrique Pepin um good afternoon everyone my name is Enrique Pepin and I have the distinct honor of being your District 5 city councelor um but I want to start by thanking the administration because they chose High Park and High Park has become one of my favorite neighborhoods since starting this job because I see how you all come together and bringing open streets is the right thing to do and I want to give a shout out to the High Park border trades the High Park main streets the business owners because last year you guys organized the bridge Fest you also organize celebrate 55 High Park those are events that bring people together and it shows that you are ready for something bigger like open streets so to the administration you chose very well in choosing High Park and I'm just ready to be there to celebrate because the rest of the city gets to see what High Park is about so to to the business owners get ready to show what businesses you have to provide and let's get ready to just party together thank you I'll introduce um a high Park resident and no surprise to all your city council president ruy luig Jan good morning High Park good morning I am so happy to be here and I'm so happy that open streets is expanding to High Park like counc pepen said we are ready right we are I eileene Pat tan uh Baron we're ready oh Chef o Chef o you we ready we are ready for open streets here in hyp park we celebrate we are good at celebrating shaa is good at helping us throw a party and it's going to be a really good time we have to make sure that all of our businesses our Haitian owned businesses our Latino owned businesses feel involved and included so that's work that we got to make sure that we do I see you nodding your head back there Scott because it's going to be really important that we bring everyone to the table I you'll see me at open streets always with my scooter I fell in love with with a scooter actually at an open streets event in another city and I hope everyone your children your parents your friends will fall in love with something at open streets because it shows us how we can use streets differently and how streets really helps to build community so shout out to the mayor for really expanding this High Park to Yasha your your leadership on this issue your entire team because streets are for everyone and we make that with that's on display at open street so Emily I look forward to your creativity I look forward to all the work that we doing to really put High Park on display so I'm so excited and I'm going to introduce state representative Rob [Applause] consalvo thank you C just to close this out uh I share that excitement of my colleagues this is an awesome day for I park and I want to thank the mayor again for uh including our community for understanding the issues that are important to this community and for being supportive of this community here in Hyde Park you know last April Boston magazine named Hyde Park the number one place to live in Boston Boston and greater Boston and their annual uh preview issue of best places to live in Massachusetts first time H Park was ever the number one place to live in Boston and greater Boston and that's cuz they know what all of you know and that we know and the man knows how wonderful this community is how much we have to offer how much we come together and how fun this community is and I would just also echo my colleagues comments and saying we are ready for this right hi High Park 150 hi High Park 155 put over 6,000 people in clar and Logan Square of a day of joy and celebration in food and supporting our local businesses and this is just the icing on the cake on top of that great celebration we had last year so look forward to being there with my family and look forward to seeing all of you thank you um I don't think I've been at a single event since April where the rep has spoken and hasn't rubbed in that number one designation so we're proud um are there any questions from the media on on topic and if not we can take a a picture with everyone good can you say may how is for you or for the community just say yeah um how important it is for the community uh wait in espol or in English Okay um we have seen Partnerships form we've seen small businesses take off we've seen communities really come together around these special events sometimes we don't remember or or think about what it means to that streets are actually public space I know when I am with my kids when I'm crossing streets usually I'm not even holding their hands I'm holding their wrists so that they can't get away because you always have that feeling of you got to be on Watch and careful when we take the time to just make the street totally open to community magic happens and it's with all the Partnerships in this room all the hard work that goes into it where we can really celebrate and show what is amazing about each and every one of our neighborhoods and we hope to keep expanding this great okay thank you all right so let's come up anyone wants to come up take a picture with us and we will Mark the occasion can we take it up I've got it