Essay From Roslindale Village Main Street Teen Employee Luke On Living In Roslindale

Press release from the Roslindale Village Main Street:

March 11, 2021

Essay from RVMS teen employee Luke on living in Roslindale

At the end of 2020 and with the support of State Representative Nika Elugardo, RVMS was granted $10,000 (as were other Main Street Organizations in Nika's District) by the Boston Housing Authority to pay young people (15-24) who live in the BHA Archdale Community in Roslindale to work at small businesses in the district. RVMS was able to place teens at local businesses (including Birch St. House & Garden, Shaking Seafood, Workhub at the Substation, and Roslindale Village Main Street) at the end of 2020. RVMS's employee, Luke, has been an asset to our office, and especially to the 2021 Pre-order and Pick-up Winter Farmers Market! Shared here is an essay that Luke wrote about his experience as a teenager living in Roslindale.

My experience living in Roslindale has been nothing but fantastic opportunities and great hobbies to look forward to. One of the hobbies I enjoy is casually going for a walk in the Arnold Arboretum, which has phenomenal views and is a great place for a picnic. When I'm walking in the Arboretum, I always see other people running, walking their dogs, or chatting amongst themselves and having a wonderful time.

Another hobby I really enjoy is going to FitChoice 24/7. I love the staff there because they really care for their members. The gym is always clean, very well organized, and taken care of. Roslindale always needed a gym, especially one that is open 24/7. Going to the gym allows me to meditate, and stay healthy mentally and physically. I always enjoy an early workout to start off the day, and it helps me to keep pushing myself.

Over the years in Roslindale, I have slowly started to see more businesses begin to move in. The Roslindale I knew 5 years ago was dried out with businesses coming and going, but today it looks totally different. Roslindale keeps improving as time goes on. I'm also glad the old bridge around Forest Hills was taken down a few years back. That bridge was problematic, and it made Forest Hills less attractive at the time. If you look at Forest Hills now, it's a beauty. One of the biggest perks living in Roslindale has to be transportation. You will get where you need to go, as long as you want to. Bus stops are everywhere and very easy to find.

What I would love to see more of in Roslindale is to keep the farmers markets moving, because they really bring the community together. It's good to see more people able to get out and socialize. The farmers market is part of what makes that possible, and I thank them for putting the work in each and every week to go above and beyond.

Bringing new products and new ideas to Roslindale is the way to go. It keeps things interesting in the neighborhood and people won't get bored of the same things. Bringing new ideas to the table is a way to keep Roslindale and its community busy and moving forward.

This press release was produced by the Roslindale Village Main Street. The views expressed are the author's own.