News Briefs

Parenting workshop has openings

Winthrop Parents Forum launched its pilot series of four free parenting workshops on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Winthrop Public Library and there is room for up to six additional participants. A re-cap of the first workshop will be held Tuesday, Sept. 26, session from 5:30-6:15 p.m. for new participants. The second workshop starts at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 7:45 p.m.

Lee Aven, a participant at Tuesday’s workshop, commented, “I thoroughly enjoyed the Parents Forum meeting, and will definitely be back for more: it is such an interesting format and protocol and I find in it so much to learn.” Aven, who drove up from Easton, an hour south, has local connections. A cousin still lives in town and Aven recalls with pleasure the frequent visits her family made to Winthrop when she was a child.

Therese Ockenden, Winthrop resident and parenting educator with the Chelsea Family Network, is leading the workshop series, assisted by Eve Sullivan, Parents Forum founder, a resident of Cambridge. The series continues on September 26 and October 10 and concludes with an open meeting on October 24. Those interested are asked to register on MeetUp.com for Winthrop Parents Forum.

 

Center Business District Traffic Pilot 2017 Update

What’s happening in the Center?

What you are seeing and experiencing on the streets in and around French Square is the result of a new traffic pilot study taking place through October 31. As a pilot, these changes are not permanent and are meant to assess the potential for new traffic patterns and access to public spaces to stimulate much needed development and business activity in the Center.

Why is this happening in the Center?

This pilot was derived from the recommendations provided by the Centre Business District (CBD) Master Plan- a comprehensive economic development strategy adopted by the Town Council in April 2017 to strengthen business and commercial activity in Winthrop’s downtown core. The Master Plan established five key goals for the Center, each generated through public input and focused on creating a vibrant, walkable Center.

Will there be enough parking?

In order to implement the pilot, a total of 28 parking spaces were removed. Recent parking studies in the Center have indicated that utilization of on-street and off-street parking is currently at about 48 percent, leaving ample opportunity to reallocate these spaces for parked cars to spaces for people and social/economic activity.

Why does Winthrop need redevelopment?

The recommendations of the Master Plan address the findings of the UMass Collins Center’s 2014 Economic Trends Report, which show that:

Winthrop has lost >1,100 local jobs since 1990 & has only 0.2 jobs per resident. Winthrop residents do  approximately 68 percent of their retail spending out of town. Median age jumped from 33 to 43.7 years since the 1960s. 
Winthrop is the only seaside  community studied in the report to experience population decline since 1990. 
Reversing these trends begins by changing our status quo and providing more opportunities sustainable economic growth in the Center. This pilot aims to do just that. 
Find out about public events planned during the pilot & learn more at http://tinyurl.com/WinthropCBD.