Testimony from the Friends of Titus Sparrow Park to the Boston City Council Committee
Tonight at 6 p.m., the Boston City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed emergency declaration for the Mass and Cass area. The hearing will take place at the Hampton Inn and Suites on Massachusetts Avenue and is open to the public.
The Friends of Titus Sparrow Park are committed to the safety and well-being of our neighbors. We have submitted testimony in support of declaring a public health emergency. Our letter to the committee is shared below.
If you see any crimes or other concerning behavior, please report it to 911. You can read more about how to help keep the park safe and which actions to take here.
Testimony from the Friends of Titus Sparrow Park
Boston City Council Committee on Public Health, Homelessness, and Recovery
Hearing on Docket #1457 | September 4, 2025
Dear Chair and Members of the Committee,
The Friends of Titus Sparrow Park thank you for holding this important hearing and for the opportunity to share our perspective. We, Shayna Keshian and Cara Sipprelle, are writing on behalf of the FTSP board, as constituents, and as parents to young children growing up in the South End.
Titus Sparrow Park is a vital green space in the South End and a central gathering place for families, neighbors, and community events. Last year, the park underwent an extensive renovation—transforming it into a beautiful, safe, and welcoming destination where children play daily and neighbors of all ages gather regularly. Our all-volunteer board is deeply committed to building community by providing free events ranging from our beloved summer concert series to tennis classes for underserved local children to fitness classes for seniors.
Unfortunately, the surrounding crisis has severely impacted our park and our community. Throughout the summer, neighbors have reported:
Individuals sleeping overnight on the playground.
Trash and debris left on the playground equipment and seating areas.
Needles found throughout the park (and unknowingly picked up by young children)—including the main lawn, an area where we host our concert series, children practice cartwheels, play ball with their friends and families, and toddlers learn to walk.
This is not acceptable, and it cannot become the standard for quality of life in Boston. No parent should have to scan the grass for needles before letting their child run, neighbors should not fear to host or attend a free community concert, and community organizations should not worry about bringing their students to our park because of unsafe conditions. We fear a neighbor or one of our own children will be pricked by a discarded and diseased needle or encounter a dangerous altercation with an individual suffering from addiction. As the Friends of Titus Sparrow Park, we organize clean-ups and activate the community to report issues to the proper authorities, but our all-volunteer board’s efforts cannot effectively combat this crisis.
What’s happening in and around Mass and Cass is both a public health and a public safety emergency, and the ripple effects are being felt directly in our neighborhood parks. As a city, we cannot allow desensitization to set in—these are crimes, these are public health hazards, and these are preventable threats to the very spaces meant to unite us.
We urge the Council to recognize the urgency of this crisis and to commit to real, immediate action. Our community deserves to enjoy its parks and public spaces without fear. The future of our neighborhoods depends on it.
Thank you for your time and for including our testimony in the record.
Sincerely,
Shayna Keshian, President
Cara Sipprelle, Board Chair
The Friends of Titus Sparrow Park
