The ONEin3 population in Boston is always on the move. Whether we are trying out the latest Boston brewery, taking a spin on a Hubway, or challenging ourselves to find creative ways to give back to the community, it’s hard to keep up with us.
But the City of Boston is trying. Hardly a day (or piece of policy) goes by without Mayor Marty Walsh stressing the importance of our young adult population in Boston. He understands that today’s workforce is changing and Boston is competing in a global market to attract the best talent.
To ensure Boston continues to grow as the #1 place for young adults to live, work, and play, Mayor Walsh has been vocal about growing Boston’s late night scene to make our great city even more vibrant and exciting.
I’m happy to say we have made great strides. The Mayor’s Late Night Task Force, made up of a diverse group dialed into fostering late night culture, has been convening since April to determine how to effectively pilot late night in Boston.
Last week, Mayor Walsh was able to get an amendment filed to the Senate budget that provides a local option for licensed establishments to sell alcohol beyond the current 2 a.m. cap in communities impacted by MBTA’s late night service. The budget and its amendments will be debated this week. If Mayor Walsh’s amendment is adopted by the Senate, the City of Boston will continue to advocate for its inclusion in the final FY15 budget that will be released before July 1st.
With the approval of the local option in Boston, Mayor Walsh’s Late Night Task Force would be able to pilot extended serving hours in various parts of the city where there is demand for late night activities. The ability to conduct these pilots in conjunction with the MBTA’s late-night service will give the City of Boston the most accurate picture as to whether a permanent late-night model is feasible. Any licensees applicable for an extension under the pilot will still be held to the standard public licensing process.
As part of the ongoing conversation on late night in Boston, the task force is also looking at what other services and businesses could have later hours: neighborhoods that are favorable for later closing hours; public safety requirements of expanded late night hours; entertainment license expansion; and late night transportation access.
So stay tuned Boston ONEin3ers, we might just be able to extend our day by a few hours this summer. And to that end, as the conversation progresses, think about the role we play in the process. Join the conversation on twitter with #LateNightBos. How can we have our voices heard in a thoughtful and meaningful way? How are we represented in the conversation? Send thoughts and ideas to ONEin3Boston@Boston.gov. We can’t wait to hear from you!
