~ Malden Musings ~ “Paul Condon and Devir Park”

By Peter Levine

You’ve come a long way, Devir Park. From shabby to chic just in my lifetime! The Devir Park reopening was well worth the wait! The park is beautiful, a feast for the eyes! The grand reopening was well attended and enthusiastically met by all in attendance. Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon – well played, you done real good! You were a relentless pit bull in your drive to see Devir become a showcase park; you succeeded! Well, you and Jenelle DeVits, but as Ward Councilor you flexed your muscle, rolled up your sleeves, put in the hard work, and voila…Devir Park looks marvelous!

Big shots in attendance that gorgeous Thursday morning were Mayor Gary Christenson, State Senator Jason Lewis, State Representative Steve Ultrino (D-Edgeworth), generations of the Devir family, Ward 2 School Committee member Rob McCarthy, Ward 8 Councillor Jadeane Sica, DPW Director Bobby Knox, State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian, Councillor-at-Large Carey MacDonald, Councillor-at-Large Craig Spadafora, Recreation Director Joe Levine, and many, many other happy Edgeworthians and Maldonians!

Councillor Condon ain’t no fancy talker but on this glorious morning he sounded downright statesmanlike (think Abe Lincoln meets Ed Markey): “We now have a gorgeous greenspace, recreation fields and a brand-new tot lot. Our own neighborhood park is now the jewel of this great city and a wonderful addition to the quality of life of this community. This park is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for a common goal. It is a gift to our present and future generations. It is a legacy that we can be proud of – something for us to enjoy now and for generations to come. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to this project in any way, big or small. This park is more than just a place to relax, play and exercise. It’s also a symbol of our commitment to environmental sustainability…a way for friends and neighbors to connect. It took years of hard work and dedicated effort. There were contributions from so many, and I thank you all. I don’t want miss anyone, but there is one person, especially, without whom this amazing project would have literally not happened. Jenelle DeVits has been a force of nature – moving things forward, keeping the balance among parties with different interests, updating and communicating. Projects like this sometimes become complicated and unfriendly, but here we not only have such beautiful results but along the way, I think, it was a good process for the neighborhood and everyone in it. People coming together and getting something done – the whole world needs more of it. Really, it’s just been awesome. I’m glad you’re here today for the formalities, but more importantly I hope you’ll come back soon and often and enjoy this beautiful park!”

Would not be right if I didn’t mention a couple more folks who also had a hand in the revitalization of Devir Park. DPW Director Bobby Knox, Special Assistant to the Mayor Maria Luise, Recreation Director Joe Levine and Alex Pratt – we salute you!

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – I adopted Devir Park as my second home in the “Impossible Dream” year of 1967. I started playing baseball at Bruce Field as a 10-year-old with childhood friends Jimmy Damiano, Charlie Femino and Mike Scibelli, eventually graduating to the Bandstand in my mid-teens. Too many good times at Devir Park to recount. I still consider it my second home.

Truth be told, back in the old days, Devir Park took on a different persona when the sun set. Unlike daylight hours when all were welcome, nighttime was by invite only. You had to have a connection: an older brother or cousin; you had to be from the neighborhood; or you had to be familiar with the traditional Devir Park pecking order. Sometimes you needed all three to join in on the fun. This afterhours hang was generational, handed down instinctually from one generation to the other. The young’uns knew enough to leave the Bandstand to the big kids until they said it was okay to join in or until they decided to vacate – for a house party, night club or up to Amerige or the Rez for more “privacy.” You waited patiently until it was your time to sit on those beer-drenched steps.

So, with that said, I present to you a look at the flip side of our childhood at Devir Park. Not everybody felt warm and fuzzy about the hijinks that went on there. The Malden Evening News was our trusted source of information back when they were located on Ferry Street and David Brickman was our Walter Cronkite – no fake news. They ran a column called “Our Readers Write…Gripes, Groans, and Cheers.” It allowed Maldonians the opportunity (before social media reared its ugly head) to weigh in on anything their little hearts desired. “Mr. & Mrs. Name Withheld Upon Request” made quite a splash with the Devir Park Bandstand denizens when the letter below was originally printed in 1972. Speculation ran wild during that humid summer on who the letter writer was. Here for your reading pleasure is that same letter which caused such a ruckus those many years ago:

“Devir Park Rowdies Draw Harsh Complaint

“Whatever happened to the citizen’s right to quiet and peace in the night, or for that matter, the law that is supposed to guarantee against the breaking of the peace.

“Ask the Mayor’s Office, Police Dept., the Registry of Motor Vehicles, or your local political reps. I did and found a not too lovely ring of undelegated authority; no one wants to take the reality of the situation; they all seem to pretend that it doesn’t exist or else is someone’s responsibility other than themselves.

“The disturbances of the peace that I speak of are the loud, obscene shouting of what I would term potential class one bums, who constantly make their headquarters about Devir Park in Malden at the Medford line at night.

“I am complaining about their illegal use of horns and loud mufflers on vehicles; drinking in vehicles and in the park; breaking of bottles; racing and screeching brakes; public urinating; obstructing and blocking traffic; loud radios and shouting; constant defiance of park rules, and the rights of their fellow citizens to peace in the night; and God only knows what else may be happening at all hours of the night. And I mean until two or three in the morning, practically every evening.

“I also am complaining about the parents who drop their offspring off so they may join the night with their chums’ loud voices. The police on duty who I think are trying to do their jobs as best they can, say they can’t remove licenses or registrations for motor vehicle law breaking, nor can they arrest for loitering in the public park after dark. They say they can only suggest these people move on. Usually, this means to move to another position or to another night as I see it.

“The police are weary of responding to calls that place them a little above a wearying babysitting duty. The mayor’s office decides that this is strictly a police situation and doesn’t seem to care about the cost to the taxpayers or police necessity to make repetitive calls every evening. The local rep makes an attempt to speak to some of these people periodically, prodded by citizens’ sharp and persisting complaint.

“I was told that it will not do any good to make arrests, the very good judge just won’t cooperate with police or allow the citizens the peace that the city ordinances are supposed to guarantee.

“Why can’t the mayor have installed and posted no parking signs around the park area at night which state a fine on parked vehicles. Maybe the mayor could install a no loitering at night rule in public parks to read ‘no loitering or around the streets directly adjacent to the park’ and throw in a fine payable immediately. Also, enable police to deliver people under 18 to their parents and present their parents with the fine. On the other hand, if they insist park areas to be open ’til three in the morning at least station a police officer to uphold the law and guarantee the peace.

“Also, this stupidity of allowing public drinking on the streets or in parked cars or in city parks should cease especially when young boys and girls are involved with older people.” (Name on file but withheld by request)”

Postscript: The Golden Tornadoes Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet is always a fun time! This year it is at Anthony’s on Canal Street on Saturday, November 18: reception at 6, dinner at 6:30, ceremony at 7. Tickets are $60 with a table of 10 going for a measly $550. This year is a special year because it features none other than my big brother Joe. Joe is the City of Malden Recreation Director (and much more) and is being inducted as a “Distinguished Service” inductee for his (basically) lifetime of involvement with Malden High School (and beyond) athletes. A mentor to generations of MHS student athletes – Joe’s dedication to the youth of Malden is legendary. Joe and Dana Brown brought the girls basketball program back to life in the 1990s, inspiring generations of girl athletes to go on and excel well after high school. Inspiring those generations to give back to the city, just as Joe has for decades now. Leading by example. Congratulations, “Chills!”

Speaking of Dana Brown…Dana will be inducted as a coach and his daughter, Dana-Marie, as a student athlete. I caught up with both recently, and of course, both were modest and humble in their remarks:

Dana Marie Brown: “I feel grateful to receive this honor alongside my coaches. And I feel enormously blessed that I will be inducted surrounded by my teammates who are still the best friends with whom I’ve been lucky to share the court, the field and the last twenty plus years.”

Dana Brown: “While I am honored to be recognized by this honor, I am more humbled knowing that the blessings given to me by Malden High School and its student-athletes dwarf anything I was able to contribute. Truly a blessed time in my life.”