Keller @ Large: A Snow Storm Parking Solution
BOSTON (CBS) -- That was quite the snowstorm we got, and it has left behind a mess, especially in densely-populated neighborhoods where parking is difficult even when there isn't a ton of snow in the street.
Perhaps the classic example of this is the beautiful community of South Boston, where the time-honored practice of reserving the space you dug out with a chair, discarded kitchen-sink, or other comparable placeholder is no longer allowed.
According to the city of Boston, you have until 6 p.m. tomorrow to remove your placeholder or a city crew will do it for you, and this poses a problem. There simply isn't enough on- or off-street parking in Southie to accommodate everyone, and with the snow expected to hang around for awhile, what are people to do?
But never fear, I have given this careful thought and come up with a solution. At one end of the Red Line, we have people desperate for a short-term parking option; at the other end, we have a private institution that's always eager to help out the broader community and has the resources to help solve the problem.
Of course I'm talking about Harvard University, and the large open area they own just steps from the Harvard Square subway stop that could quickly and easily be converted into parking for displaced South Bostonians -- Harvard Yard.
Yes, there's a lot of snow there this morning, but affluent Harvard undergrads eager to show mum and dad they can darn well earn their own spending money will surely be eager to pick up a few bucks shoveling out the Yard. Harvard can and should pay for that, and the kids can supplement those earnings with tips from the South Bostonians when they valet park their cars for them.
This should only be necessary for a few days, what with the warming trend we're expecting. And think of the goodwill this partnership will engender. Bostonians will appreciate the respect Harvard has for them in an entirely new way. Harvard will get to know its neighbors better. And maybe the students who make a profit off this will donate it to defray the cost of bringing ROTC back on campus. Yes! I'm certain they will. Aren't you?
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
