Excitement Expected When Quarry Pitches Blasting Line Changes

West Roxbury Civic & Improvement Association President Olivia Waishek has been around West Roxbury long enough to know what draws a large crowd to her group's meetings.

One company in general always seems to bring the neighbors out in full force, and as a result she expects to see just that at Monday night's meeting.

“There’s always excitement when there’s a meeting involving the quarry,” said Waishek.

general manager Ed Sonia will speak at the Civic & Improvement Association meeting at the group’s Monday evening meeting. The meeting will take place at  at 7 p.m.

The quarry wishes to extend its boundaries for blasting closer to the intersection of Centre and Grove Streets. If approved, Sonia’s company would upgrade to new, state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly equipment that could lessen the noise level that has in the past upset neighbors, according to Mayor Menino’s West Roxbury liaison Chris Tracy.

That potential trade-off should generate quite a bit of neighborhood discussion. Sonia is the only speaker on the meeting’s agenda, but attendees could find themselves in for a long evening.

“I know there’s going to be some controversy,” said Waishek, “because people have already approached me [about the proposal].”

Ed Sonia of West Roxbury Crushed Stone did not respond to several phone calls requesting an interview for this story.

Tracy told Patch he will be in attendance on Monday evening, and that the neighborhood’s reaction to the proposal will go a long way towards deciding its fate. Tracy confirmed that the quarry’s proposal to change their blasting boundaries is currently in the City’s legal department. If the neighborhood shows support Monday night, the City may just push the proposal through. With enough opposition, though, it will likely head to the courts and probably go before a judge.

A representative from the legal department will also be on hand Monday night, according to Tracy.

District 6 City Councilor Matt O’Malley said he would also be in attendance at the meeting. He said he was “intrigued” and “cautiously optimistic” about the quarry’s proposal, but wanted to hear from all sides – especially the quarry’s closest abutters – on Monday night.

“I think there’s an opportunity here…to lessen the quarry’s impact on the neighbors,” he said.

Such an opportunity would surely be welcome by many in the neighborhood. But would they allow for the quarry’s blasting boundaries to come closer to their homes in exchange for quieter equipment, or would they prefer the status quo? “We’ll find out everything Monday night,” Waishek said.