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PHOTOS: Boston Celebrates Open Streets In Jamaica Plain

A large crowd of people walking and biking fills an intersection in front of a large church steeple.

A large crowd at the intersection of Green and Centre Streets in Jamaica Plain during a July 2022 Open Streets celebration. Photo by Grecia White.

Sunny skies and mild temperatures helped bring out thousands of participants to Boston's first Open Streets celebration of the year, along Centre Street in Jamaica Plain.

Without cars crowding the way, thousands of people – far more than the street typically carries – were able to walk and bike along Centre Street without fears for their safety.

Crowds walk and roll past a map of Sunday's Open Streets event in Jamaica Plain.
Crowds walk and roll past a map of Sunday's Open Streets event in Jamaica Plain. Photo by Grecia White.
Crowds walk and roll past a map of an Open Streets event in Jamaica Plain on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Photo by Grecia White.
people riding bluebikes on the street
Kimberly (right) leading her two sons on a Bluebikes ride through the crowd along Centre Street on Sunday.
A mom leads her two sons on a Bluebikes ride through the crowd along Centre Street during a Boston Open Streets celebration in Jamaica Plain in 2022. Photo by Grecia White.

Despite looking quite comfortable biking through the crowd, Kimberly and her two sons (pictured above) said they only biked because they knew this was a bike friendly event.

StreetsblogMASS asked her if they enjoyed biking here. "Yeah! It's fun, it was nice," she answered. "I mean, it's a little crowded to bike...I think it would've been helpful if there was like a designated bike lane so people aren't getting hit because you know, everybody is like zig zagging everywhere."

After her son's $400 bike from Bikes Not Bombs was stolen off their porch last year, Kimberly says they now have a Bluebikes monthly pass and will consider getting the yearly one to avoid the hassle of maintenance and repairs.

People relax at tables and chairs in the shade line the street where cars would typically park while people on foot and on bikes go by in the middle of the street.
The tables and chairs in the shade outside FoMu ice cream shop were a popular pit stop during the Jamaica Plain Open Streets celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Photo by Grecia White.
The tables and chairs in the shade outside FoMu ice cream shop were a popular pit stop during the Jamaica Plain Open Streets celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Photo by Grecia White.

Several local elected officials were enjoying themselves, and some took the time to extol the benefits of car-free streets:

There were also numerous activities in the street, including a family play area, live music, chess games, food trucks, and public yoga classes. The Boston Cyclists Union set up a bike lane along two blocks of Centre Street to show different ways space on the street could be used. According to their brief survey, participants shared they'd like to see more Open Streets in different parts of the city including Washington Street from JP to Chinatown and Harvard Street in Brookline.

A crowd gathers around the Boston Cyclists Union bike repair tent in front of an abandoned gas station.
The Boston Cyclists Union set up their tent outside an abandoned gas station to chat with participants and ask where else they'd like to see Open Streets take place. Photo by Grecia White.
The Boston Cyclists Union set up their tent outside an abandoned gas station to help repair and tune up bikes for Open Streets participants. Photo by Grecia White.
The JP Chess Club booth set up along Centre Street with flyers and details on the day's matches.
The JP Chess Club booth set up along Centre Street with flyers and details on the day's matches.
The JP Chess Club booth set up along Centre Street with flyers and details on the day's matches.

Subir Roy, a chess game lover, came from Burlington to take part in the day's festivities and play some matches put on by the JP Chess Club.

"I won the first one, second one I came second!" he said proudly.

We asked him what he thought about the Open Streets event overall. "This is awesome, seriously. This is awesome. It might be a little bit of an inconvenience for people who drive and want to park, but I think it's a great opportunity for the local businesses," he said.

A man in a bright green vest holds up a stop sign while crowds of people on foot and on bikes wait to cross behind him.
Volunteers direct traffic at the intersection of Green and Centre Streets, one of two crossing points where motor vehicles were allowed to cross from one side of Centre Street to the other during Sunday's Open Streets celebration. Photo by Grecia White.
Volunteers direct traffic at the intersection of Green and Centre Streets, one of two crossing points where motor vehicles were allowed to cross from one side of Centre Street to the other during Sunday's Open Streets celebration. Photo by Grecia White.
Groups of people relaxing on a shady lawn under big trees in front of a historic house
Crowds enjoy the shade on the Loring Greenough House lawn near the intersection of Centre and South Streets during the Jamaica Plain Open Streets celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Photo by Grecia White.
Crowds enjoy the shade on the Loring Greenough House lawn near the intersection of Centre and South Streets during the Jamaica Plain Open Streets celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Photo by Grecia White.

The city will host at least two more Open Streets celebrations this summer; the next one will be in the Grove Hall neighborhood, on Blue Hill Avenue between Dudley and Warren Streets, on Saturday, August 6. Learn more or sign up for updates at www.openstreetsboston.org.

Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the Boston Cyclists Union set up a mobile bike repair shop along the route- we have since made a correction. Thanks for reading! 


Previously on StreetsblogMASS:

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