Local Language

Black Heritage Trail: Walking tour of Beacon Hill, which was home to Boston’s free African American community that led the nation in the movement to end slavery and achieve equal rights. 228-9833.

BPL: Boston Public Library, located in Copley Square, includes a general collection lending library and a research library. 536-5400. Other branches are located in the West End (523-3957) and South End (536-8241).

BPDA: The Boston Planning and Development Agency.

Charles, The: The Charles River runs from Hopkinton to the Atlantic. The dirty water famously sung about, which after cleanup efforts isn’t so dirty anymore.

Citgo Sign: A local landmark in Kenmore Square due to its visibility from Fenway Park.

Comm Ave.: Abbreviation of Commonwealth Avenue.

Common, The: The oldest public park in the country. Facilities include the Frog Pond (which offers ice skating in the winter and spray pool in the summer), a baseball field, tennis courts and a playground. Call it the “Commons” and show you’re new to the area.

Copley Square: Old South Church, Trinity Church, Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel and the Boston Public Library are all located here.

CSO: A Community Service Office is located in each Boston Police district. The officers are geared toward helping with neighborhood issues. For the Back Bay, Fenway and South End call 343-4457. For Bay Village, Beacon Hill and downtown call 343-4627.

Downtown Crossing: Shopping district on Washington Street, between Temple and Bromfield Streets. Closed to most vehicular traffic. Due east of the Common and west of the Financial District.

Emerald Necklace: A park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted that stretches through several neighborhoods and includes the Back Bay Fens and the Riverway.

Esplanade: Grassy area running parallel to the Charles River. Hatch Memorial Shell is a concert stage located at the Esplanade. Reached by a footbridge at the corner of Arlington and Beacon Streets.

Fenway Park: Home of the Red Sox baseball team.

Flat, The: Area between Charles Street and the Charles River. Historically part of the Back Bay but now considered Beacon Hill.

Freedom Trail: A 2.5-mile red-lined route that leads to 16 significant sites in the American Revolution from the Boston Common, through downtown, the North End and Charlestown. 357-8300.

Garden, The: Not the same as the Public Garden. Formally the TD Garden, home of the Bruins and Celtics.

Greenway, The: The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a string of parks stretching through the North End, the Financial District, and Chinatown. It was built over the land of the old John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, which was demolished in the Big Dig.

Hancock, The: Boston’s tallest building, officially called 200 Clarendon Street but known by its longtime former name. Located one block from Copley Square.

Hatch Memorial Shell: Outdoor concert stage located on the Esplanade.

Hynes Convention Center: A conference center that’s home to many of Boston’s biggest events, including the city’s First Night New Year’s celebration. 900 Boylston Street.

IAG: Impact Advisory Group, a panel of citizens appointed by the mayor to review large development proposals and advise the BRA on potential impacts and mitigation.

LMA: Longwood Medical and Academic Area is a cluster of hospitals and schools bordering the Fenway. Often referred to as the medical area.

Mall, The: Commonwealth Avenue Mall is a strip of grass along Commonwealth Avenue that stretches from Arlington Street to Kenmore Square. The area was developed in the late 19th century as a version of a Parisian boulevard. Statues honor individuals with significant ties to Boston.

Mass Ave.: Abbreviation of Massachusetts Avenue.

MFA: The Museum of Fine Arts. The 5th largest museum in the USA, containing over 450,000 works of art.

MGH: Massachusetts General Hospital. The oldest and largest hospital associated with Harvard Medical School.

Muddy River: River in the Fenway connecting to the Charles River.

Newbury Street: Eight blocks of shops, boutiques, restaurants and art galleries. Runs between Arlington Street and Mass Ave.

Pats: The Patriots

Pike, The: Abbreviation for the Massachusetts Turnpike. Also called the Mass Pike.

Pru, The: The Prudential Center is a shopping mall located at 800 Boylston Street. It offers the only 360-degree view of the city from the Skywalk. The Pru connects to Copley Place, another shopping mall.

Public Garden: Features seasonal flowering plants and neatly clipped shrubs that line winding paths. Visitors may ride "swan boats" on the lagoon. Never refer to it as the “Gardens.”

Quincy Market: A shopping center with a variety of stores, food vendors, and street performers. Generally packed with tourists.

Rotary: Not a roundabout. Road junction where traffic moves in a circle around a central point to reach a road converging on it.

Seaport, The: The northern part of South Boston or “Southie,” situated along the Boston Harbor. Once a barren stretch of parking lots, it’s recently become one of Boston’s hottest neighborhoods, known for its trendy restaurants and nightlife.

SoWa: South of Washington Street. Hot spot of art galleries in the South End.

T, The: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) provides public bus and train service throughout Greater Boston. The Green Line, comprised of four trains, runs through the Back Bay and the Fenway. The B, C, D and E trains go through the Back Bay, and the D and E trains run through the Fenway. The Orange and Silver Lines access the South End. 222-3200.

Wicked: “really” or “very.”

Neighborhood Associations

Audubon Circle Neighborhood Assn. 617-653-6844 auduboncircle.org

Bay Village Neighborhood Assn. bayvillage.net

Beacon Hill Civic Assn. 617-227-1922 bhcivic.org

Blackstone/Franklin Sq. Neighborhood Assn. blackstonefranklin.org

Claremont Neighborhood Assn. 617-635-4500 cnaboston.org

Downtown Boston Residents’ Assn. downtownra.org

Eight Streets Neighborhood Assn. eightstreets.org

Ellis South End Neighborhood Assn. ellisneighborhood.org

Fenway Civic Assn. fenwaycivic.org

Hurley Blocks Neighborhood Assn. hurleyblocksneighborhood.org

Neighborhood Assn. of the Back Bay 247-3961 nabbonline.com

South End Forum facebook.com/SouthEndForum

St. Botolph Neighborhood Assn. stbotolph.org

Union Park Neighborhood Assn. [email protected] upna.org

West End Civic Assn. westendcivicassociation.com

Worcester Sq. Area Neighborhood Assn. facebook.com/WorcesterSquare

Organizations

Back Bay Architectural Commission 617-635-3850

Beacon Hill Garden Club beaconhillgardenclub.org

Beacon Hill Village 617-723-9713 beaconhillvillage.org

Community Boating Inc. 617-523-1038 community-boating.org

Esplanade Assn. 617-227-0365 esplanadeassociation.org

Fort Point Arts Community 617-423-4299 fortpointarts.org

Friends of Copley Sq. [email protected] friendsofcopleysquare.org

Friends of the Public Garden 617-723-8144 friendsofthepublicgarden.org

Garden Club of the Back Bay [email protected] gardenclubbackbay.org

Hill House 617-227-5838 hillhouseboston.org

Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy 617-292-0020 rosekennedygreenway.org

West End Community Center 617-670-1900 westendcommunitycenter.com

Business

Back Bay Assn. 617-266-1991 bostonbackbay.com

Beacon Hill Business Assn. 617-720-7888 beaconhillonline.com

Downtown Boston Business Improvement District 617-482-2139 downtownboston.org

South End Business Alliance 617-304-4421 sebaboston.com

Emergency Notifications

Receive alerts from the city via text, email or phone in the event of an emergency, weather warning, parking ban or street closure. Information is available in English, Spanish, French and Chinese. To enroll visit boston.gov/sign-emergency-alerts.

Parking

Parking Clerk’s Resident Parking Division

617-635-4410

Parking permits for resident-only spaces in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, Fenway, South End or St. Botolph are available for free. Go to Boston City Hall, Room 224, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm, visit the City Hall To Go trucks, or apply online at: boston.gov/departments/parking-clerk.

You will need:

• A valid registration in your name showing that your vehicle is principally garaged at your address.

• Proof of residency, such as items mailed to you within the last 30 days bearing your address and the name that matches your vehicle registration like gas, electricity, telephone, credit card, water and sewage or cable bills, a signed apartment lease or a monthly bank statement.

• No outstanding Boston parking violations against your current or prior plates.

Students are subject to the same regulations as other resident applicants. Permits are valid for two years.

Temporary Permits

If you have moved to the neighborhood within the last 30 days and do not have proof of residency, you may obtain a 60-day permit. The registration must be in your name and show that your vehicle is principally garaged at your address. Bring a copy of your apartment lease or home purchase and sales agreement. Temporary permits are issued only once.

Registration

First contact an insurance company. A vehicle must be insured in Boston before it can be registered in Boston. Moving Permits A permit is required to park a moving van on the street. Call 635-4909 or visit boston.gov/moving.

Visitor Parking

The Transportation Department does not offer visitor parking permits, but visitor parking spaces are provided. These spaces, usually at the end of the block, will be posted VISITOR PARKING ONLY or 2-HOUR PARKING ONLY. Visitor parking can be extended using the ParkBoston app.

Snow Emergency

Parking is prohibited on major arteries during declared snow emergencies to make streets more accessible for plows and emergency vehicles. For alternative parking options, visit boston.gov/departments/311/snow-emergency-parking. All other parking regulations and meters remain in effect.

Street Cleaning

Public Works

617-635-4900

Areas with posted signs have regular street-sweeping schedules. Cars must be removed from the street on the appropriate days. Violators face a $40 parking ticket.

For exact restrictions refer to regulation signs or visit cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping. You can also sign up for alerts.

The odd side is done on the first, third and fifth weeks of the month. The even side is done on the second and fourth weeks of the month.

Trash & Recycling

Public Works 617-635-4900 Trash, food waste and recycling are collected on the same days. Consult signs, download the City of Boston’s Trash Day app or visit boston.gov/trash-day-schedule.

Recycling

Boston provides residential pickup of recyclables. If your recycling was not picked up, call the mayor’s 24-hour hotline at 311. Not all streets are eligible for curbside pickup as some areas are too narrow for garbage trucks.

What can be recycled:

• Paper: newspaper, magazines, mail, paper bags, phone books, paperback books, cereal boxes, pizza boxes, flattened corrugated cardboard and cardboard cans

• Containers: glass bottles and jars, aluminum and metal cans, aluminum foil, empty aerosol cans, milk/juice cartons and rigid plastics

• Requirements: items can be mixed together; labels may stay; rinse containers; and no broken glass, light bulbs, plastic bags or soiled paper

Large buildings: Residents of large apartment buildings (more than six units) with recycling service should place items in bins provided in your building. Those in large buildings with no program should ask their landlord to call 617-635-4900 for service.

Food waste: Residents of buildings with six units or less can sign up for free food waste removal. Food scraps will be picked up weekly with trash and will be converted into compost. Visit bostoncomposts.com to sign up.

Hazardous & yard waste: The city provides recycling for yard waste, paint and oil. For schedule visit boston.gov/trash-day-schedule.

Containers: Residents with curbside trash collection may request a cart provided by the city or can convert a trashcan of no more than 32 gallons, with a lid, for the purpose. Clear plastic bags may also be used.

Dog Licenses

Animal Care and Control 617-635-5348 Dogs are required by law to be licensed in the City of Boston. You may face fines if your dog remains unlicensed. Licenses are valid from April 1 to March 31 of each year.

Applications: Visit cityofboston.com/animals/licenseapp. Applications with your check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope may be mailed to: Boston Animal Care and Control, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.

Historic District Commissions

Landmarks Commission

617-635-3850

The Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, St. Botolph and South End are historic districts, and changes to exteriors of buildings must be approved by the city. For regulations visit boston.gov/departments/landmarks-commission.

Air Conditioners

Air conditioners in the Back Bay must be removed from windows by Saturday, September 30. They may be installed again on Tuesday, May 1.

Public Safety

Call 911 for all emergencies and state whether the call is fire, police or medical related.

Police Department For crime statistics and updates, visit bpdnews.com.

District A-1 Beacon Hill, Bay Village, Downtown 40 New Sudbury St. 617-343-4240

District D-4 Back Bay, Fenway, South End, Kenmore Square, Audubon Circle & St. Botolph 650 Harrison Ave. 617-343-4250

Fire Department 617-343-3550

Engine #3 618 Harrison Ave.

Engine #4 200 Cambridge St.

Engine #7 200 Columbus Ave.

Engine #22 700 Tremont St.

Engine #33 941 Boylston St.

Engine #37 560 Huntington Ave.

Post Offices

Back Bay 133 Clarendon St., 617-587-5262 Mon.–Fri., 7:30 am–5:30 pm Sat., 7:30 am to 4 pm

Beacon Hill 136 Charles St., 617-723-7434 Mon.–Fri., 8 am–5:30 pm Sat., 8 am–12 pm

Downtown 31 Milk St., 617-482-1956 Mon.–Fri., 7:30 am–6 pm

Fenway 207 Massachusetts Ave., 617-247-2429 Mon.–Fri., 8 am–6 pm Sat., 8 am–2 pm

Kenmore Square 11 Deerfield St., 617-437-1113 Mon.–Fri., 8 am–5:30 pm Sat., 8 am–12 pm

Prudential Center 800 Boylston St., 617-267-4164 Mon.–Fri., 8 am–5:30 pm Sat., 8 am–2 pm

South End 59 West Dedham St., 617-266-0989 Mon.–Fri., 7:30 am–5 pm Sat., 8 am–12 pm

State House 24 Beacon St., 617-742-0012 Mon.–Fri., 9:30 am–5 pm

Boston Public Library

For a complete list of hours, including branches in the West End and South End, visit bpl.org/general/hours/index.php

Central Library Copley Square, 700 Boylston St. 617-536-5400

Movie Theater

AMC Theatres Boston Common 19 175 Tremont St. 617-423-5801

Churches and Synagogues

Arlington St. Church 351 Boylston St. (617) 536-7050 Unitarian Universalist

Cathedral of the Holy Cross 1400 Washington St. (617) 542-5682 Roman Catholic

Chabad Boston (617) 247-7100 Services: Private location, contact for address.

Chabad of Downtown Boston 16 Piedmont St. (617) 297-7282

Boston Synagogue 55 Martha Rd. (617) 523-0453 Orthodox Judaism

Central Reform Temple 15 Newbury St. (617 262-1202 Reform Judaism

Church of the Advent 30 Brimmer St. (617) 523-2377 Episcopalian

Church of the Covenant 67 Newbury St. (617) 266-7480 Presbyterian

Emmanuel Church 15 Newbury St (617) 536-3355 Episcopalian

First Baptist Church 110 Comm Ave. (617) 267-3148 Baptist

First Church Boston 66 Marlborough St. (617) 267-6730 Unitarian Universalist

First Church of Christ, Scientist 250 Mass Ave. (617) 450-3788

King’s Chapel 58 Tremont St. (617) 227-2155 Christian Unitarian

Old South Church 645 Boylston St. (617) 536-1970 United Church of Christ

Saint Anthony Shrine 100 Arch St. (617) 542-6440 Roman Catholic

Saint Cecilia Parish 18 Belvidere St. (617) 536-4548 Roman Catholic

Saint Paul Cathedral 138 Tremont St. (617) 482-5800 Episcopalian

Trinity Church 206 Clarendon St. (617) 536-0944 Episcopalian

Voting

Voter Registration: Pre-registration and registration can be completed online, by mail or in-person. To register to vote you must be a citizen of the US, 16 years old, and not incarcerated from a felony.

Online voting can be completed if you have a signature on file with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Otherwise registration can be mailed to your local election official, or can be completed in-person at your local election office or the Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. Visit sec.state.ma.us for more info.

Upcoming elections: Next City Council election: November, 2023 Next State Rep and Senate: 2024 Next Mayoral election: 2025

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Churches and Synagogues

Arlington St. Church

351 Boylston St.

536-7050

Unitarian Universalist

Cathedral of the Holy Cross

1400 Washington St.

542-5682

Roman Catholic

Chabad Boston

247-7100

Services: Private location, contact for address.

Chabad of Downtown Boston

16 Piedmont St.

297-7282

Boston Synagogue

55 Martha Rd.

523-0453

Orthodox Judaism

Central Reform Temple

15 Newbury St.

262-1202

Reform Judaism

Church of the Advent

30 Brimmer St.

523-2377

Episcopalian

Church of the Covenant

67 Newbury St.

266-7480

Presbyterian

Emmanuel Church

15 Newbury St

536-3355

Episcopalian

First Baptist Church

110 Comm Ave.

267-3148

Baptist

First Church Boston

66 Marlborough St.

267-6730

Unitarian Universalist

First Church of Christ, Scientist

250 Mass Ave.

450-3788

King’s Chapel

58 Tremont St.

227-2155

Christian Unitarian

Old South Church

645 Boylston St.

536-1970

United Church of Christ

Saint Anthony Shrine

100 Arch St.

542-6440

Roman Catholic

Saint Cecilia Parish

18 Belvidere St.

536-4548

Roman Catholic

Saint Paul Cathedral

138 Tremont St.

482-5800

Episcopalian

Trinity Church

206 Clarendon St.

536-0944

Episcopalian

Elected Officials

Mayor

Michelle Wu City of Boston 617-635-3115 [email protected]

District City Councilors

Gabriella Coletta District 1: Waterfront, North End, Charlestown 617-635-3200 [email protected]

Ed Flynn, Council President District 2: Chinatown, Downtown, part of South End & Seaport/South Boston 617-635-3203 [email protected]

Tania Fernandes Anderson District 7: Parts of Fenway and South End 617 635-3510 [email protected]

Sharon Durkin District 8: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway, Kenmore, & West End 617-635-4225 [email protected]

City Councilors At-Large

Erin Murphy 617-635-3115 [email protected]

Julia Mejia 617-635-4217 [email protected]

Michael Flaherty 617-635-4205 [email protected]

Ruthzee Louijeune 617-635-4376 [email protected]

State Representatives

Aaron Michlewitz District 3: Bay Village, Chinatown, Downtown, & North End 617-722-2220 [email protected]

Dan Ryan District 2: Part of Fenway 617-722-2460 [email protected]

David Biele District 4: Seaport/South Boston 617-722-2460 [email protected]

Chynah Tyler District 7: Parts of Fenway & South End 617-722-2396 [email protected]

Jay Livingstone District 8: Back Bay, Beacon Hill & Fenway 617-722-2013 [email protected]

John Moran District 9: Parts of South End & Dorchester 617-722-2460 [email protected]

State Senators

Lydia Edwards First Suffolk & Middlesex: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Downtown, North End 617-722-1634 [email protected]

William Brownsberger Second Suffolk & Middlesex:Fenway 617-722-1280 [email protected]

Nick Collins First Suffolk: South End, Seaport/South Boston 617-722-1150 [email protected]

Congressmen

Ayanna Pressley Back Bay, Fenway, South End, Bay Village, St. Botolph 617-850-0040 pressley.house.gov

Stephen Lynch Beacon Hill, West End 617-428-2000 lynch.house.gov

Governor Maura Healy 617-725-4005 24 Beacon St.

Senators

Edward Markey 617-565-8519 markey.senate.gov

Elizabeth Warren 617-565-3170 warren.senate.gov

Contacting City Hall

Report issues like potholes and graffiti to City Hall by calling 311, downloading the BOS:311 app, or tweet @BOS311. Assistance can also be found online: boston.gov/311.

Emergency Notifications

Receive alerts from the city via text, email or phone in the event of an emergency, weather warning, parking ban or street closure. Information is available in English, Spanish, French and Chinese. To enroll visit boston.gov/sign-emergency-alerts.

Neighborhood Services

Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services 617-635-3485 The office serves as a liaison between City Hall and the community, helping residents with neighborhood issues. Each community has a representative.

Neighborhood Liaisons: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway

Maggie Van Scoy [email protected] 617-635-6279

Bay Village, South End

Kimberly Crucioli 617-635-4517 [email protected]

Downtown, Chinatown & Leather District

Chulan Huang [email protected]

South Boston Anna White 617-635-2680 [email protected]

Utilities

Electric Eversource 1 (800) 592-2000 eversource.com

There are numerous competitive suppliers operating within Eversource, and it is recommended to compare prices and terms of service.

Gas National Grid 1 (800) 233-5325 nationalgridus.com

MBTA

1 (800) 392-6100 mbta.com

Blue Bikes Bike Share

bluebikes.com

There are thousands of Blue Bikes available for rent at stations around the city. Hourly, monthly and annual passes are available. Riders must be 16 years or older and you must bring your own helmet.

Theaters for Fine Arts

Berklee Performance Center 136 Massachusetts Ave. 617-747-2261 berklee.edu/BPC

Boch Center 270 Tremont St. 617-482-9393 bochcenter.org

Boston Center for the Arts 539 Tremont St. 617-426-5000 bostonarts.org

Calderwood Pavilion 527 Tremont St. 617-933-8600 huntingtontheatre.org/pavilion

Cutler Majestic Theatre 219 Tremont St. 617-824-8000 emersontheatres.org/online/default.asp

Huntington Theatre Company 264 Huntington Ave. 617-266-7900 huntingtontheatre.org

Lyric Stage 140 Clarendon St. 617-585-5678 lyricstage.com

Modern Theatre 525 Washington St. 617-557-6537 suffolk.edu

Boston Opera House 539 Washington St. 617-259-3400 citizensbankoperahouse.com

Orpheum Theater 1 Hamilton Pl. 617-482-0106 crossroadspresents.com/pages/orpheum-theatre

Paramount Center 559 Washington St. 617-824-8000 emersontheatres.org/online/default.asp

Shubert Theatre 265 Tremont St. 866-348-9738 bochcenter.org

The Wilbur 246 Tremont St. 617-248-9700 thewilbur.com/