Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Honor and progress is the city of Somerville’s motto/slogan. We certainly have lots of progress. I’d like to think that the honor part is our love and dedication to family, city and friends.

My family moved three streets from Davis Square in 1960. I was seven years old. The train still rumbled through Davis Square, which was filled with every kind of specialty store you could think of and two five and tens. The cars were big and clunky, and there were two bowling alleys, tons of bar rooms, and two Chinese restaurants.

All you have to do is just look around to tell that there is a new Somerville. We have Assembly Row, bike lanes and T stops. As the new Somerville continues to grow, I pondered over what one thing I missed the most about the old Somerville.

As I said, I live in Davis Square and used to walk to Broadway and Bay State Ave. to take the bus to the high school. Imagine being able to walk down to the Davis Square T station to the Red Line and switch to the Green Line and end up at the bottom of school Street. Wow. That’s progress.

Here are some readers comments when asked what they missed about the old Somerville, my favorite subject.

This person didn’t hold anything back, “The new Somerville is a disgrace, forcing out the old, and jamming the new down everybody’s throat. Catering to those who know nothing about the city or could care less.”

Another reader says, “I lived in a neighborhood in East Somerville for five years and tried to communicate and be neighborly. No one would budge. Was nothing like Elmwood St. (West Somerville)

“The summer nights hanging out on neighbors’ front porches, neighbors helping neighbors, shoveling out your car or your walkway. Less traffic in Davis Sq. Hodgkins SPA. I miss Tony, a great guy. Block street parties. The old Somerville where everyone knew your name and your neighbors were friendly and easy to talk to.”

FD says, “It’s not the changing city I miss, it’s the old days with family. Getting older sucks sometimes. The alternative really sucks. I miss my old people!”

This reader offered us a colorful comment, “I miss it all! Grew up in Somerville in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Miss kids playing in the streets – kickball, tag, the first skateboards! Working class neighborhoods and families. Most everyone I knew were first, second, or third generation, so someone in their home had an Irish, Italian, or Greek accent. The food and restaurants were amazing. The funniest, kindest, smartest people lived there. Didn’t need a car back then to get around, though it was nice to have one. I know so much of it has changed, some for the good and some for worse. I never fully appreciated where I grew up until I moved away. I’ve enjoyed the other places I’ve lived, but Somerville is always my home.”

Of course, there is a new Somerville for a lot of us. We’ve gotten older. We’ve seen our family and some friends pass away. I guess that adds to the feeling of missing the old days. It wasn’t just the old stores that we miss, it’s the people in our lives in an all over with us. We look at the new T station and wish that I would love ones were here to see it. My poor mother never even saw the T station in Davis Square before she passed. So, I guess the old Somerville must be just that.

I’ll end this by quoting our official city song: Somerville leads the way.

I wish you all a healthy safe and prosperous new year! And a special shout out to my good friend Nick Salerno, who I used to work with at city hall. A great guy who I had a lot of laughs with.