Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer in the city, and activity of all sorts in our park inevitably picks up. Because the seven acres on which the Fenway Victory Gardens are situated are accessible 24-7, and because the FGS is largely responsible for stewardship of this seven-acre park, Fenway gardeners have some unique challenges to deal with.
The board of the Fenway Garden Society is committed to working actively and intensively with the City of Boston Department of Parks & Recreation and the Boston Police Department to ensure the safety of FGS members, friends, and visitors to our park. We count on the active engagement and ongoing assistance of the FGS membership to make our park as safe and sanitary as possible.
Below are some important tips and answers to frequently asked questions we hope will assist in everyone’s enjoyment of the Victory Gardens this summer.
Always report vandalism, break-ins, and theft!
The safety of members and visitors to our park is our top priority, and the Boston Police Department’s as well. We have asked for increased car, horse, bicycle and foot patrols throughout the summer, but you can help ensure the safety of everyone in the park by reporting all incidents of vagrancy, vandalism and theft to:
•BPD at 617-343-4250
•FGS at 857-244-0262
•FOR EMERGENCIES CALL 9-1-1. Our address (for the dispatcher) is “the park across from 1220 Boylston Street”.
Any questions on park security can be directed to Senior VP of Administration and BPD Liaison Kristen Mobilia: kmobilia@gmail.com.
FAQs
What is the board of the FGS doing to make the park safe and sanitary?
The Senior VP of Administration Kristen Mobilia tracks and regularly communicates all specific safety issues from members to BPD.
The board has worked with Parks on a comprehensive plan to “clean up our act in 2012” which included a threefold increase in the number of rubbish barrels and intensive coordination with Parks Maintenance Department on day-to-day upkeep of the park.
The board also assembles crews to clean and clear transitioning plots and encourages members to keep rows outside their plots clean and clear. We take great care in placing capable gardeners in “hot spots” and offer support during Community Participation Days in reinforcing fences and gates.
Where are the police?
The BPD regularly patrol the park by foot and bicycle, on the perimeter and in the interior. Members concerned about police presence should contact FGS BPD liaison Kristen Mobilia for dates and times of monthly neighborhood meetings where they can communicate their concerns directly to representatives of BPD responsible for patrolling the park.
What should I do if I see something suspicious in the park?
If you feel that you are in danger, first and foremost, get to safety. Keep your cellphone charged and with you, and call 9-1-1 if you see criminal activity in progress. If you do not have a cellphone on you and there is criminal activity in progress, get to the blue emergency phone near the kiosk and use that to contact the police.
Know your neighbors! Share your contact information with them if you feel comofrtable doing so. Communicate with them and the board regarding absences of more than two weeks, and let them know if you are having friends look after your plot for a period while you’re away.
What should I do if I find medical waste in my row or garden?
Unfortunately it sometimes happens that gardeners find syringes in the gardens. This happens fairly rarely (so far this year we have had one report of a syringe found outside a member’s plot), but it has been a reality of our park for as long as most of us can remember.
FGS is currently working with Parks and a representative from the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure proper disposal of syringes. If you find one in or around your garden, call the FGS hotline at 857-244-0262 and we will make sure it is disposed of promptly and properly.
Members can avoid some of the dangers associated with this issue by keeping their rows, where needles are most often found, clean and clear inside and out all along the fenceline.
What should I do if I find feces or condoms in my row or garden?
First of all, know that you are not alone. All gardeners in the Fenway Victory Gardens have dealt with this unpleasant situation at one time or another. Most keep a few plastic grocery bags with their tools to dispose of such waste.
Know also that the BPD patrols the park at all hours, and they and the FGS are fully aware of the variety of activities that go on in the park after dark. Despite these activities, the park is remarkably free of violent crime, an obvious priority for BPD.
It is unfortunate that sanitation in the park is often left to members of the FGS, however. No one should have to deal with this, but as an all-volunteer organization, each of us is responsible for the stewardship of our plots and adjacent areas, as much a nuisance as it is.
Again, members can minimize such activity by keeping rows clean and clear, fences and gates in good repair, and free of “hiding places” in and around their gardens.
While reporting each instance of such waste could easily overwhelm the board, if the situation becomes chronic, members should certainly notify the board, which will work with members to devise a plan to deal with it, which could include: gate and fence repair, elimination of overgrown vegetation along the fenceline, a meeting with other gardeners in the section/row, a memo to BPD to increase patrols in a particular area, and consideration for reassignment.
A garden in my row seems abandoned and is getting broken into. What can I do?
Call the FGS hotline at 857-244-0262 and we will investigate. We are almost at capacity at this point in the season, so it may be that the member responsible for the plot is unable to properly tend it. If that’s the case, we will send a notice, giving him or her a week to “bring it up to code”. If there has been no change by the deadline, the plot will be cleaned and brought into compliance by a crew headed by the VP of the Park, and then as soon as possible reassigned.
Should I install lighting or raise the height of my fence to deter break-ins?
Conventional wisdom among veteran gardeners is that throwing money at the situation generally does not work in this instance. While the FGS continues to lobby for interior lighting in certain areas of our park, lighting in individual gardens could easily have the opposite of the intended effect, attracting nighttime visitors and encouraging theft.
Maximum fence height of 4’ has been determined by Parks and the FGS membership. BPD urges members to be mindful of sightlines: visibility into plots and across the park. Eliminating “hiding places” deters serious crime.
Can I use razerwire, barbed wire or nails pointy-side up to deter break-ins?
Again, everyone gardening in the Fenway has dealt with a break-in (or ten). This can be a traumatic experience, and we want all members to know that the community is here to support them, assist in clean-up and repairs, and work to make the park ever more secure. But as a highly accessible historic public park, we can’t condone the use of any material to secure a member’s garden which could seriously harm a visitor.
Utilizing plants like climbing roses, quince, or even shrubs without thorns along the inside of the fenceline pruned to maintain visibility can deter break-ins.
Who Can I contact for assistance securing my plot?
Call the FGS hotline at 857-244-0262 and we’ll hook you up with your Area Director and Section Coordinator, who will be happy to assist you in this or any other challenges you are experiencing gardening in the Fenway.
