Bevilacqua: Take Advantage of Boardwalks for City Celebrations

City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua hopes to persuade his colleagues that future downtown festivals belong on the boardwalks on Merrimack and Washington streets.

Moving the events would allow traffic to flow through downtown, let residents of the area’s apartments and condos come and go without trouble, and keep parking areas open for customers of downtown businesses.

And the largest benefit, Bevilacqua said, would be to reinforce the city’s efforts to orient its public life toward the river.

Councilors voted to discuss the idea at a meeting of the board’s Public Property and Natural Resources subcommittee.

One thought on “Bevilacqua: Take Advantage of Boardwalks for City Celebrations

  1. At both ends of Merrimack Street at the entrance to the KidsFest the mayor had police cruisers blocking the street. The police weren’t there providing a passive, inconspicuous police presence. The cruisers had their lights on and flashing like crazy, as if they were at a crime scene. Police officers were out of their cars, had bullet proof vests on, and were watching everyone entering downtown. It was quite a sight as the first thing you saw entering the KidFest. Just what parents want to see bringing their children to a festival.

    What was the message from this intentional extremely high level police presence? How bad is crime in the city that the mayor turned a KidsFest into a ‘police state’?

    Haverhill is a very dangerous place and the mayor’s actions prove it.