Brian Yates
Alderman-at-Large, Ward 5
City of Newton, MA
Emerson Community Center
- As a second generation graduate of the
Emerson Elementary School in Upper Falls, I was very
disturbed by the School Committee decision to close it in
1978, and was part of the unsuccessful efforts to fight
the closings of Emerson, the Hamilton School in Lower
Falls, Hyde School in Newton Highlands, and other village
schools.
- As a citizen and an Alderman, I have
worked to preserve portions of these buildings as
community centers in the heart of our village. A plaque
in the Emerson Center describes it as the heart of
village life. As the site of a polling place, nursery
school, after school care, senior citizen programs,
various recreational programs, meeting place of the Friends
of Hemlock Gorge and the Newton Upper Falls Community
Development Corporation, it continues to play this role.
- After I became Alderman in 1988, I
established the Emerson Community Center Trust to have
the proceeds from the sale of the building earn interest
(they hadn’t for ten years before that.) I persuaded
Mayor Mann to replenish the Trust. More recently it
became clear that the funds were being depleted in annual
condo. fees. At my request, Mayor David Cohen added the
$3,500 per year in condominium fees to the city's operating budget.
- As noted elsewhere, I tried to maintain the
Upper Falls Branch Library in the Cathy Becker Room (named for an Upper
Falls resident and neighborhood activist) but failed because the collection
had already been reclaimed by the library system. An informal book exchange
in the hall behind the gym didn't work either, but I think the city should
attempt a book exchange program in all Community Centers, Community
Libraries, etc.
- I continue to advocate that the large flat
roof of the Center be used for solar panels that could provide electricity
and hot water to the building and continue to seek funding for this purpose.
- I filed a resolution asking that the City
include a more energy efficient replacement for the old boiler at the
Center as part of the city's application for Federal funding for energy
efficient heating systems for city properties. It was included on the
city's list. We should hear soon.
This page last updated on
Wednesday September 09, 2009
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