Community Rallies Together to Clean Up Park Prone to Drug Dealing Amidst Crisis
Residents in the South End neighborhood are taking matters into their own hands to clean up a local park plagued by discarded needles and open drug dealing. In just over a week, volunteers have picked up nearly 180 used needles along the Southwest Corridor Park, which is also home to playgrounds and walking paths.
Following a public safety meeting at Cathedral High School earlier this month, where officials emphasized the need for zero tolerance on open drug dealing and use, residents took to social media to share their concerns. A group of volunteers came together to pick up the needles, spelling out "SOS" in front of the children's playground as a plea for help.
The pickup effort was part of an ongoing struggle by community members to address the growing issue of homeless encampments and street drug use in the area. Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu noted that the city distributes over 81,000 used needles per month as part of its harm reduction efforts to combat HIV transmission.
However, Councilor Ed Flynn argued that this is "excessive" and needs to be reduced significantly. He also called for increased resources to be dedicated to needle pickup and the establishment of a recovery campus in Greater Boston to support those struggling with addiction.
The volunteers' effort serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by ubiquitous outdoor drug use, particularly near spaces intended for children and families. Local residents are being urged to report discarded needles by calling 311.
Residents in the South End neighborhood are taking matters into their own hands to clean up a local park plagued by discarded needles and open drug dealing. In just over a week, volunteers have picked up nearly 180 used needles along the Southwest Corridor Park, which is also home to playgrounds and walking paths.
Following a public safety meeting at Cathedral High School earlier this month, where officials emphasized the need for zero tolerance on open drug dealing and use, residents took to social media to share their concerns. A group of volunteers came together to pick up the needles, spelling out "SOS" in front of the children's playground as a plea for help.
The pickup effort was part of an ongoing struggle by community members to address the growing issue of homeless encampments and street drug use in the area. Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu noted that the city distributes over 81,000 used needles per month as part of its harm reduction efforts to combat HIV transmission.
However, Councilor Ed Flynn argued that this is "excessive" and needs to be reduced significantly. He also called for increased resources to be dedicated to needle pickup and the establishment of a recovery campus in Greater Boston to support those struggling with addiction.
The volunteers' effort serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by ubiquitous outdoor drug use, particularly near spaces intended for children and families. Local residents are being urged to report discarded needles by calling 311.
! It's amazing how community members can come together like that to make a real difference in their neighborhood. And honestly, it's not just about the park itself, but also what it says about the state of our city right now - where we feel like we have to take matters into our own hands because the authorities aren't doing enough 
. It's like, we all want a safe and clean place for our kids to play, but some people are just more willing to do something about it than others 
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. We need more people like Councilor Flynn who are advocating for change, but we also need to hear from the Mayor and city leaders on how they plan to address these issues head-on 
. What do you guys think - should the city be doing more to tackle this stuff? 
I'm not saying the city doesn't need to do more, but can't they just make sure the needle distribution program is more efficient already? It feels like a band-aid solution at best. And yeah, 81k needles per month sounds crazy, but isn't that just a symptom of a bigger problem...like how we handle homelessness and addiction in this city? 
! Like, the fact that they picked up almost 180 used needles in just a week is crazy 
. But seriously, it's like, we need to have better solutions than just picking up trash all the time. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great that they're taking action, but can't we also work on addressing the root cause of this issue? Like, why do people feel so comfortable using needles in public places? 
. It's like, we need to be more proactive and speak up about these issues instead of just complaining online. But at the same time, it's crazy to think about how many people are using needles in public spaces... I mean, 81,000 used needles per month is insane 
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. and it's not like they're asking 4 permission or anything, they just went 4 it! i wish we could do that kind of thing on a bigger scale @ our school though 
So like, I think its awesome that the community came together to clean up the park 
. We gotta take care of our public spaces, you know? 
It's not just about aesthetics, but also safety and health 
. Those used needles can be super hazardous, especially for kids playing in the park 
. 
. We need to find ways to balance harm reduction efforts with community concerns 
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.
i mean we're talkin about needle pickup, like, what if someone gets stuck or infected? shouldn't that be a priority? 
but it seems like there's a lot of confusion. shouldnt we just have one strategy instead of trying to figure out how to fix everything at once? 
people are literally dying from needle poisoning left and right and we still can't seem to get the needle pickup game together 
meanwhile, our kids deserve safe spaces to play... it's like councilor flynn is trying to outsmart the problem or something 
reducing 81k needles per month by half sounds like a good start though... maybe we should just stick needles in councilor's back instead of just picking them up from the ground 
! I'm all for the volunteers picking up those 180+ needles tho 
. It's like, they said 'sos' and people listened 
. We gotta stand together against this problem 
. Councilor Ed Flynn has a point tho 
. And yeah, Dr Ojikutu's harm reduction efforts are super important 
.
. The city needs to get its act together and provide real support for those struggling with addiction. And, yeah, 81,000 needles per month? That's wild!