A-B, BC dispute parties
A-B residents, BPD say students disturb the peace
Kentaro Yoshida
Issue date: 10/25/05 Section: News
A fractured relationship between Allston-Brighton residents and Boston College students further deteriorated last week as residents insisted that the city and BC end students' late-night rowdiness that has "made life intolerable."
Student parties are ruining their quality of life, residents said in a letter to the mayor's office and Boston College. More people are drinking and there were more disorderly houses around Cleveland Circle this summer than ever before, according to the letter. More than 50 A-B residents signed a petition supporting the letter.
"The situation here continues to worsen," said Karen Marshall, who has lived on Lane Park for 20 years and started the petition. "There have been many cases of student disturbances, but it's the worst it has ever been. We didn't used to have all these loud parties and drunken people walking back and forth at all hours of the night shouting and stumbling."
In response to his constituents' letter, City Councilor Jerry McDermott (Allston, Brighton) promised to move quickly to control disturbances created by partying college students.
"We're going to be stepping up patrols in the area," he said. "There's going to be a zero-tolerance policy. Everyone involved in a party that has illegalities involved is getting pinched. If you over 21, fine, but if you are not, there won't be any leniency."
McDermott also accused BC of not taking enough responsibility for its students. He said BC needs more than two community affairs directors to supervise the entire off-campus student community.
"Boston College can do a better job getting the messages out to their students," he said. "They only have two officials running their off-campus community. They need more employees to hear the complaints and go to the parties and regulate the kids.
"It's just not fair we are babysitting these off-campus kids with our tax dollars and resources. BC can't collect 42,000 dollars and not let us sleep at night," he said.
Student parties are ruining their quality of life, residents said in a letter to the mayor's office and Boston College. More people are drinking and there were more disorderly houses around Cleveland Circle this summer than ever before, according to the letter. More than 50 A-B residents signed a petition supporting the letter.
"The situation here continues to worsen," said Karen Marshall, who has lived on Lane Park for 20 years and started the petition. "There have been many cases of student disturbances, but it's the worst it has ever been. We didn't used to have all these loud parties and drunken people walking back and forth at all hours of the night shouting and stumbling."
In response to his constituents' letter, City Councilor Jerry McDermott (Allston, Brighton) promised to move quickly to control disturbances created by partying college students.
"We're going to be stepping up patrols in the area," he said. "There's going to be a zero-tolerance policy. Everyone involved in a party that has illegalities involved is getting pinched. If you over 21, fine, but if you are not, there won't be any leniency."
McDermott also accused BC of not taking enough responsibility for its students. He said BC needs more than two community affairs directors to supervise the entire off-campus student community.
"Boston College can do a better job getting the messages out to their students," he said. "They only have two officials running their off-campus community. They need more employees to hear the complaints and go to the parties and regulate the kids.
"It's just not fair we are babysitting these off-campus kids with our tax dollars and resources. BC can't collect 42,000 dollars and not let us sleep at night," he said.
