Heart of the City Project, Database of the Greenspaces of the Arnold Arboretum, Boston Nature Center, Forest Hills Cemetery, Franklin Park, and Southwest Corridor Park, and the Neighborhoods of Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale and Roxbury. The searchable database covers commerce, community life, environmental, health and transportation issues with source material, pictures, and other connections.

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ONLINE DEMO OF THE HEART OF THE CITY WEBSITE

Who is this site for?
What kind of information can I find here?
How do I use this site, if I am new to the area?
How do I use this site, if I am thinking of visiting…
How do I use this site, if I care about a particular issue…
How do I use this site, if I care about a particular place…
What if I find inaccurate or incomplete information?

Who is this site for?

Whether you raised your children in the Heart of the City, moved here this month, or are simply interested in visiting for the first time, this site can be a resource for you. Whether you work at City Hall, build affordable housing, or care about open spaces, clean air, or economic opportunity, this site can help you leverage existing information to accomplish your goals. The Heart of the City database was designed to meet the information needs of everyone who cares about Boston’s heartland.

What kind of information can I find here?

The Heart of the City database is an inventory – as comprehensive as possible – of the places, issues, organizations, and sources that relate to Boston’s heartland neighborhoods. The project makes information about more than 250 places, 100 issues, 300 organizations, and 400 sources available to you. Database entries are complemented by approximately 1,000 current and historic photos and more than 300 maps.

The Heart of the City database was created not only to give people information about the place or issue they are most interested in, but also to point out how each neighborhood and issue fits into a broader context. The Heart of the City project demonstrates that no park, transit station, or health issue exists in isolation. Each is a part of the larger urban environment.

How do I use this site, if I am new to the area…

You may not know very much about the Heart of the City, but you know at least one thing: the name of your street. This is all you need to get started.

1) Click on the upper search box on the Heart of the City homepage.
2) Type in the name of your street.
3) Confirm that the database has pulled up the correct street by clicking on the street name when it appears on the screen.
4) Explore the information available about your particular part of the Heart of the City.

Whether you are interested in your local parks, demographics, history, or planning processes, the name of your street is the key to learning more about where you live. Access maps, history, photos, and a description of your neighborhood. Learn about the organizations at work in your area, as well as critical neighborhood issues. Explore the green column on the left hand side of the screen to learn more about the places, issues, and organizations that are connected with your own corner of Boston.

How do I use this site, if I am thinking of visiting the Heart of the City…

Perhaps you have heard about Boston’s central neighborhoods and greenspaces, but have never known how to get there or what to do when you got there. Many people have questions about Heart of the City neighborhoods. Are they safe? Can you take the T to the Franklin Park Zoo or the Arnold Arboretum? Now you can begin to explore the Heart of the City – everything from its rich history to its current challenges – before you leave home. You can:

1) Click the map on the home page to explore some of the area’s major greenspaces and neighborhoods.
2) Click on Places, Issues, Organizations, or Sources on the horizontal navigation bar to gain a sense of the range of topics and information available within the Heart of the City database.

How do I use this site, if I care about a particular issue…

You may care about one issue in particular – such as asthma, illegal dumping, access to libraries and community centers, housing, jobs, education, or access to open space. To quickly retrieve information about particular issues, you can…

1) Click on “Issues” in the left hand side of the home page and use the issue index to locate the issue you are interested in. OR
2) Choose a general category of issue, such as Health, Community Life, or Greenspaces, and explore the issues presented under each grouping. On the right hand side of the description of each issue, you will find a list of the places where that issues is particularly relevant. OR
3) Use the general search box on the left hand side of the home page to find all the places, sources, issues, and organizations where the issue you are interested in is mentioned.

Once you have identified the issue or issues you are most interested in, you may want to know where to find more information about the topic and how it relates to the Heart of the City. In the green left-hand column under Sources you will find a list of reports, maps, books, articles, websites, and databases that relate to each place or issue. Click on one. You will find full bibliographic information for each one and, where available, links to the text itself.

How do I use this site, if I care about a particular place…

The Heart of the City database is organized on multiple spatial scales. Some database entries apply to very large areas (such the entire neighborhood of Dorchester) while others apply to very small areas (such as the new Egleston Square Peace Garden, which is about half an acre in size).

There are many ways to access information about a particular place:
1) If you are interested in a certain street, click on the upper search box on the Heart of the City home page, type in the name of the street, and press “GO.”
2) You can also search the entire index of places by clicking the horizontal navigation bar, or by entering the place name into the general search box on the home page.
3) The map on the home page allows you to explore the main neighborhoods and greenspaces in the area and the left hand column will always show you other places, issues, sources, and organizations that are associated with that place.

What if I find inaccurate or incomplete information?

Despite our best efforts, inaccuracies and information gaps may exist in the Heart of the City database. A broad database such as this one will never be considered complete. Not every neighborhood organization or issue is listed. Some places and issues are not covered as fully as others. As neighborhoods in the Heart of the City evolve, the information is changing, requiring frequent updates. Residents and others can help to make the information richer, more complete, and more useful by contributing new information and ideas. Input from people who live and work in the Heart of the City has been and will continue to be the backbone of the Heart of the City database.