Key to Brookline Reconstruction Success is Support

Thank goodness it’s February. Winter is officially half over!

Lately, we have been thinking about the Steeler chant, “Here we go Steelers, here we go.” It occurred to us that it could just as easily be “Here we go Brookline, here we go.” We are within countdown of reconstruction. While the hardhat workers will be important, there is another group of individuals who are critical to this project—the residents of Brookline, specifically you, dear reader. You—we—are critical to the outcome we want.

We want a new and improved Boulevard featuring our longtime favorite merchants. Pitaland started the ball rolling with their renovations in January. No one is asking you to pick up a shovel or pour concrete. We will leave those jobs to the hardhats. Our job as residents is to shop, encourage others to frequent the Boulevard, remain optimistic and be patient. It took us 15 years to get to this point. Is it really asking so much to wait another 10 months?

Certainly there will be times when our patience is challenged or our routines interrupted. Perhaps we could use the chant to encourage each other at these times? When we are forced to walk extra blocks to pick up our donuts at Party Cake or a birthday cake at Kribel’s, we could chant “Here we go Brookline, here we go.” When your dinner reservation at Moonlite Café or Mateo’s means parking at Hair By Conroy, think of the walk as exercise before dinner and chant “Here we go Brookline, here we go.”

We have to encourage each other and support our merchants during this critical time for Brookline. On Feb. 11 at 6 p.m., the Chamber of Commerce will be holding a meeting for the community at St. Mark’s Church, located at the corner of Brookline Boulevard and Glenarm Avenue. Attend.

We need to talk and share ideas for surviving the next 10 months. If at the end of the year, we have a new Boulevard with empty storefronts, we will have achieved nothing. That has happened in other communities. That is NOT what we want for Brookline. Shopping on the Boulevard is an easy volunteer opportunity in which we can all participate. “Here we go Brookline, here we go.”

Pamela Grabowski

Brookline

This article originally appeared in 'The Brookline,' Issue #56, Page 2, February 2013, and is used with permission. 'The Brookline' is an informational newsletter for the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Brookline. It is available by email in full color, and also is available by mail. Contact The Brookline at thebrookline@brookline-pgh.org for details.