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The Cypress Avenue Area Neighborhood Group is an active group of residents who work to improve the quality of life for those living on Cypress Avenue and its connecting streets (Meadow St., Moison Ave., Caswell Ave., Hemenway St., Madison St., Wilson St., Emery St., and Henley St.). This area of Methuen, MA consists of a diverse mix of residents living in single-family homes as well as multi-family homes, crossing the spectrum of cultures, ages, socioeconomic levels.
Our neighborhood group began in April 2008 through the support of Lawrence CommunityWorks’ (LCW) NeighborCircles Program. LCW assisted us by facilitating three initial gatherings. The primary goal of these gatherings was for neighbors to get to know each other better. A secondary goal was to take on an action in the neighborhood to address a problem. Our group succesfully met goal #1…we strengthened relationships amongst approximately 40 neighbors. In addition, the group decided to address some areas of concern in the neighborhood. So, we strategized with LCW and prioritized three areas of concern: increased police presence (to address speeding cars and crime), sidewalk installation (to enhance pedestrian safety), and school bus stop safety.
Since those initial 3 gatherings with LCW, we have been quite active in addressing all three concerns. Our success include:
- In November 2008, we partnered with the Methuen School Department to create a new school bus stop at the intersection of Madison St. & Westland St. This safer location has diverted many students to stay clear of the dangerous bus stop at the corner of Haverhill St. & Cypress Ave.
- In November 2009, the City of Methuen finished installing new sidewalks on Cypress Ave. See this Eagle Tribune article and this article about our efforts.
- In May 2010, we partnered with the Methuen Police Department and the City Council to install a stop sign at the dangerous intersection at Madison St. & Hemenway St.
- In May 2010, at our request, the City of Methuen boarded up and removed trash at a deserted commercial property.
- On various occasions, elected officials have attended our neighborhood meetings and our block parties.
- On various occasions, area neighbors have felt empowered to contact their elected officials to help with such things as tree trimming, sidewalk repair, and even obtaining land fill to address a safety concern on their property.
Stay updated through this blog on our neighborhood group’s ongoing efforts.
