Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

What do you think they should build in the old Star Market on Winter Hill lot? I’ve heard rumors that it could be the new central fire station. It sure has been vacant for a long time. It feels like around 10 years. Here are some residents’ suggestions. Each new comment begins with quotations.

“Market Basket … or a Winter Hill Mafia museum.” Lol

“A little bike track so everyone can ride their bikes there.”

“A New Star Market! With a New Roller Belt with new outdoor baskets to pick up your bundles like days of old, but would be new!

“Another Star Market with the old conveyor system to bring out the crate/box of groceries to drive through so the bag boy can put the bags in the car for you and you tip him! Yeah! Those were the days! Simple yet very practical! And let’s not forget Brighams right next to it.”

“How about a veterans home, for homeless vets, obviously with some sort of structure so that they can’t ruin it by alcohol or drugs.”

“ANYTHING BUT! condos. Lol but we KNOW condos is gonna happen eventually.”

“I always thought it would be the perfect spot for a public safety blg. and elderly housing. I know there is another spot. But pretty central and bus lines to everywhere.”

“A combination vape store, nail salon and place to play Keno and get some scratch tickets!”

“A Tent city to house the homeless. We need the children of Somerville to appreciate the homeless community. Hopefully some of the wealthy Somerville transplants will open their doors to the less fortunate. We know how welcoming the liberal elite are.”

“A parking lot. The parking in and around the neighborhood is a disgrace and the city loves to tag cars for the revenue. Now they are putting islands on Temple St. to screw things up even more to go along with bus lanes and miserable speed bumps to bottom out cars and to slow things up even more.”

“I also like the idea of a school. Somerville has some really aging schools. But they’ll never finish it. Like the high school.”

“A shelter for the homeless people.”

“Housing that working class people can afford, we have enough luxury condos.”

“A new YMCA or Boys and Girls club.”

“A parking lot/garage for SHS faculty/staff, with shuttles to get them to work during the academic year.”

Thank you to my social media friends for their input.