Gated Alleyway Sparks Debate

A controversial gate at the entrance to the Milford/Hanson Street alleyway sparked a lively debate at Tuesday night's Eight Streets Neighborhood Association meeting over how to prevent illicit activity in private alleyways without creating a fire hazard for residents.

The gate in question, which was previously locked to prevent access to the alley behind Bond Street, was installed on a stormy night last month by a Bond Street resident without any consultation with neighbors, said resident Pam Holian. The gate now stands open per order of fire officials, but Holian and others expressed frustration at the lack of communication with the parties affected.

"No one has the right to take it upon themselves to put up a gate and install a lock," said Holian, adding that even if neighbors were given their own keys, the gate is still a fire hazard.

"In a fire, who looks for keys?" she asked.

David Reichert, a Milford Street homeowner, expressed similar worries. If the row of buildings caught fire, the gate could impede the fire department's ability to respond, he said.

"I just don't see why adding that additional risk is something I should take on," he said. "My interest for my house is to protect my property."

According to some neighbors with knowledge of the issue, a resident of 8 Bond Street was responsible for erecting the gate in an effort to provide private access to a basement apartment being constructed in the building. Residents of nearby properties suddenly found themselves locked out of their rear entryways, commonly used to move furniture or allow access to utility workers. Efforts to communicate with the owner of the gate have been futile, Holian said.

"It has been like a war zone," she said. "I've never experienced such hostility from one single neighbor, ever."

Some residents said they would be open to blocking off access to non-residents using gates that could be opened from the inside without a key. Similar gates have been erected elsewhere in the South End and coupled with motion lights to combat drug use and prostitution in the shadowy passageways.

"I see both sides to this," said Waltham Street resident Sean McConnell after listening to another resident describe heroin users loitering behind a friend's apartment. "If people do feel threatened…it's a safety issue."

Several attendees supported meeting with fire officials to discuss the legality of the fence, which is over six feet high and made out of wood. The gate does not push outward like other alleyway gates in the South End and does not have a button to open it in emergencies.

"They're the ones that are going to be thoughtful of public safety and not just someone's personal agenda," said Holian of the fire department. "And they're going to give us the guidelines."

One association member also volunteered to contact the owner of the gate to facilitate further discussion. No votes were taken at the meeting.