Park complaints find uses for $28M

The city’s 311 hotline has more than 2,000 complaints on file for Boston Common — from “drug addict camps” to “harassing” boozers — with others at a city “mini common” listening session Monday agreeing safety is a top concern.z

The worries come as Mayor Martin Walsh has launched an online survey and scheduled a series of pop-up town halls around the city on how to best spend $28 million on a master plan for the oldest public park in America.

Some passing by the “mini common” tent outside the Maverick Square MBTA stop in East Boston Monday welcomed the investment in the park, but cited concerns about drug use and the homeless.

“There has been a couple of times where it has felt unsafe, and I think it’s probably the homeless or drug addicts or mental health issues with the people in there,” said James Crocker, who said he moved to Boston two years ago.

“Just maybe make it feel like an overall feeling of comfort and safety,” he added.

Jason Medina, 23, who said he works in Boston, also said safety and sprucing up the park would go a long way.

“During the day it’s safe, obviously at night you kind of see every now and then, people kind of look like they might not be totally safe,” Medina added, saying “it could visually look better.”

Others at the “mini common” at the Eastie T stop stressed families should be able to enjoy the Common free of worry.

The plan to spend $28 million on the 50-acre park — from the proceeds of the city’s $102 million sale of the Winthrop Square Garage — includes maintenance, upgrading playing fields, improving drainage, fixing paths, sprucing up the popular Frog Pond and taking care of the park’s old trees.

Some of the 311 complaints point out trees needing care, trash strewn about and homeless people camping overnight in the park. Broken glass, speeding cars at nearby crosswalks and hypodermic needles in plain sight also anger those seeking to clean up the Common. Many of the complaints have been closed out, while others remain unresolved.

“People openly smoking pot on the common,” another 311 caller reported. That appears to be a common problem following the legalization of marijuana.

Civility, many say, is what the park needs today.

As one 311 poster put it: “Amplified concert on common! Please restore order. Thank you!”