N.I.N.ENot In The North End

Residents of Springfield North End

The Honorable Charlie BakerGovernor of MassachusettsState Office Building436 Dwight StreetSuite 300Springfield, MA 01103ruin

Dear Governor Charlie Baker:

We understand that you lead a busy schedule and have agenda's to maintain but we would like to extend to you an invitation to come and visit our neighborhood, the North End - Brightwood Section of Springfield.

We live in a unique neighborhood where families have lived for more than a quarter of a century and have raised their children and now watching their children raise their grandchildren. The oldest school and catholic church (both over a 100 years) in our neighborhood. In the past years, our neighborhood has gone through some drastic changes. With then mayor, now Governor's Councilman Michael Albano, houses were built, streets made and the local hospital has built buildings in our area. Companies that impaired our neighborhood and brought disapproving observations from other residents of Springfield were removed.

We now have parks for our children, a middle school, neighborhood clinic, and our local hospital has built buildings for specialized practices such as a Children's Hospital Specialty Office on Wason Avenue. We consider this our own little Longwood Avenue from Boston. Our little paradise is now being shared with the rest of the city residents. We are proud of our neighborhood, of its beauty and simplicity. We have worked hard to keep our neighborhood clean of any negative impacts that will affect our children and our future.

Sheriff Ashe, now wants to build a Correctional Alcohol and Drug facility in our neighborhood. We do not want the facility in our neighborhood. For years we have worked hard to keep our neighborhood beautiful and now the Sheriff wants to bring something so negative into our neighborhood.

Please consider our invitation, and take some time out of your busy schedule to visit us.

Graciously yours,

Residents of Springfield'sNorth End