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By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

Taking a closer look at notable city data – and interesting numbers. With the official start of summer just around the corner, here is a look at some stats related to summer in Somerville.

44 park features: There are more than 80 parks and open spaces in Somerville and each includes a variety of features and amenities. So how do you know which parks suit your needs? On the City’s website we have a list a list of all City-, private-, and State-owned open spaces and what is available at each. Our list includes 44 different amenities including water features, sports fields and courts, playgrounds, and great views. To see the full list and plan your park visits for the summer, visit bit.ly/SomervilleOpenSpace. 

14,216 trees: Did you know that Somerville has more than 14,000 public trees? We all appreciate the shade those trees provide on hot summer days, but Somerville’s trees are making some big environmental impacts as well. Our trees sequester nearly 1.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide and help save more than 900,000 kilowatt hours. Thanks to recent cataloguing of all our public trees, we can get a better picture of their effects. If you want to learn more about Somerville’s trees, visit https://somervillema.treekeepersoftware.com. You can zoom in to learn more about your favorite trees.

$3 suggested donation: ArtBeat is among Somerville’s most popular events. This year on Saturday, July 13, Davis Square will be closed to traffic for a day of music, dance performances, art and craft vendors, food vendors, and many other activities for attendees of all ages. ArtBeat is a free day of fun, but the Arts Council sells dog tags for a $3 suggested donation to help support their work. If you look around at during the day you’re likely to spot some folks proudly displaying their ArtBeat dog tags from years past.

8 events: The Arts Council planned eight events in Union Square this summer and fall as part of the ArtsUnion program. ArtsUnion began in 2005 as a way support cultural economic development in Union Square and often showcases the talent, culture, and art of Somerville’s immigrant communities. This year’s season kicked off with the Big Gay Dance Party on June 1, and ends with SomerStreets on October 20. In between you can attend annual favorites like Ignite and check out the new Black, Brown, and Queer event. While all of these events are free, they help support the local economy by bringing people into the square who shop, eat, and drink at local businesses. With ongoing construction in Union Square it’s especially important this year. Find out more about upcoming events at www.somervilleartscouncil.org.

98 summer jobs: This year we have 98 young people going through the hiring process for the City’s summer jobs programs. Each year, the City hires youth to work in various departments, giving them work experience and the chance to earn money and providing staff with extra help during the summer. This year summer jobs participants will be working in many City departments including with Parks and Recreation, the Arts Council, Somerville Public Schools, Auditing, and the Department of Public Works. We received a high number of applications this year and still have young people looking to be matched up with a job. If you’re a business owner looking for some summer help, please contact Community Services Manager Chris Hosman at 617-625-6600 ext. 2406 or chosman@somervillema.gov.

Data-based decision making is at the core of how the City of Somerville develops policy and sets priorities. Every day we check the latest 311 stats, and throughout the week we meet for in-depth review of departmental data and city trends. The Data Download column shares some of the data we’ve been reviewing recently, as well as interesting updates. To see more Somerville Data, visit the online Somerville Data Farm at www.somervillema.gov/datafarm.