The triangular greenspace on Upland Road has long been informally known as “The Green.” Its official name however has always been “Philbrick Square.” A survey<\/a> was held in October 2007 to determine which is more preferred: Philbrick Square or Philbrick Green.<\/p>\n The tally was Green: 43 and Square: 36. Here are the responses (with personal info removed):<\/p>\n The triangular greenspace on Upland Road has long been informally known as “The Green.” Its official name however has always been “Philbrick Square.” A survey was held in October 2007 to determine which is more preferred: Philbrick Square or Philbrick Green. The … Continue reading This may be too late, but what about a compromise of Philbrick Square \nGreen. That would maintain the original historical nomenclature and \nadmit to the more colloquial name. If Philbrick Square Green is out \nof the question, I guess I will cast my vote for the formal name of \nPhilbrick Square, thereby keeping the historical nomenclature alive, \nwhile knowing full well we'll just call it the \"Green\". Thanks for \ntaking the interest in our opinions.\n\n******\n\nThanks for offering people the choice to vote on this. I was surprised when\nthe Philbrick Square sign appeared on the Green. I've lived in Brookline\nfor almost most of my life, nearly 47 years, and the Green has been part of\nmy life for as long as I can remember. It's the Green, not Philbrick Square\nor even Philbrick Green. \n\nI guess I could live with Philbrick Green if the Philbrick must be part of\nthe name. However Philbrick Square makes no sense and everyone I know who\nsees that sign just scratches their head in confusion.\n\n******\n\nBe Square or be there.\nThanks for collecting the votes.\n\n******\n\nPlease call it the PHILBRICK GREEN.\n\n******\n\nI vote to keep the original name of \"Philbrick Square\".\n\n******\n\nI found the argument for \nPhilbrick Green far more persuasive. In addition, my children have \nalways referred to that area as The Green. For both reasons, I vote \nfor Philbrick Green.\n\n******\n\nPlease list me as in support of PHILBRICK SQUARE, the correct historic name \nfor the site.\n\n******\n\nfor philbrick square\n\n******\n\nI signed the petition but have changed my mind. I vote for Philbrick\nSquare!\n\n******\n\nI would like to retract my\nsignature from the petition. Being approached by a neighbor with a\nseemingly banal idea, I (unfortunately) did the 'neighborly thing'\nwithout thought or conviction. Now that the issue is before me for\nthoughtful consideration, my preference is to keep the name as is.\n\n******\n\nPlease register my vote for Philbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nGreen. Definitely.\n\n******\n\nGreen - by virtue of common usage is my vote.\n\n******\n\nPlease record my vote for Philbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nThat's my vote: Philbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nI vote for PHILBRICK SQUARE.\n\n******\n\nTwo votes for Philbrick Green!\n\n******\n\nMy vote is to keep the traditional name (Philbrick Square) as the\nofficial name of our neighborhood pocket park for all the good reasons\nlisted in the Highlight (and other good reasons). I think we can call\nthe park anything we want (I tend to call it the Upland Green).\n\nthat by any name we are fortunate to have such a lovely gathering spot\nin our very special neighborhood.\n\n******\n\n[My] family can't help calling it \"the circle,\" I cast my vote\nfor \"The Square.\"\n\n******\n\nSquare. Hands down.\n\n******\n\nPlease record my vote for retaining the name Philbrick Square, the\nhistorically accurate designation of our neighborhood gathering place\nfor picnics & caroling. [Also,] two additional comments\nI had. (1) Square has several meanings. An open area at the meeting of\ntwo or more streets does not have to be an equilateral quadrangle; for\nexample Kenmore & Park Squares are triangular, as well as Times Square.\n(2) One or more common names for a place can be different from the\nofficial name, without causing confusion; for example The Hub (Boston),\nThe Big Apple (New York City), or The Upland Green (Philbrick Square).\n\n******\n\n[We] cast two votes in favor of \"Philbrick Square\".\n\nThe arguments for \"Square\" summarized in the latest newsletter are VERY\ncompelling. This is a local historic district, the second oldest of\nfive in the Town, created in 1983.\n\nThe first stated purpose of a local historic district is: \"To preserve\nand protect the distinctive characteristics of buildings and PLACES\nsignificant to the HISTORY of the Commonwealth and its cities and towns.\n\nDeference should be given to historic names, just as those residing in\nthe district must maintain the exteriors of their homes, fencings, etc.\nin compliance with stated design requirements.\n\nThe fact that this space is a triangle and not a square is unique and\nshould be honored. If might be approppriate to carefully review old\nconveyances to see if there were any restrictions that might prohibit a\nrenaming, if such has not already been done.\n\nWhen searching the Dedham Registry of Deeds recently we came across the\nterm \"heater-piece\" in all conveyances from 1890 to 1950 concerning lot\n[on] Cypress Street. It turns out that \"heater-piece\" is what\nfolk today call [an] \"island\" or \"turn-around\" that is triangular and\nresembles an old flat iron. \n\n******\n\nI am in favor of calling the Green the Green - not Square.\n\n******\n\nI vote = Green\n\n******\n\nWe vote for retaining the name \"Philbrick Square\". While either one is \nbasically okay, we like the idea of preserving the historical \nconnection to the other squares in town that were created in the same \nperiod, as well as preserving the original name it was given - \nespecially in the absence of any compelling reason to change it. \n\n******\n\nI play at the green every day and I choose GREEN.\n\n******\n\nI vote for Green rather than Philbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nWith regard to this \"tempest in a teapot\", why not leave things as they \nare and apparently always have been! Philbrick Square is its historic \nname, and the new sign is mighty handsome. We can just continue to call \nit \"the Green\" for every day use (just as people have nicknames). \nAnyway, my vote is definitely for Square!\n\n******\n\n[Two for] Philbrick Square\n\n******\n\nSquare\n\n******\n\nPhilbrick Green, please!\n\n******\n\nI vote for The Green\n\n******\n\nI vote for \"green\"\n\n******\n\nI vote for Green.\n\n******\n\nMy vote is for Philbrick Green. I have lived in our neighborhood \nsince 1970 and all during that time I have heard it call \"The Green\". \nPhilbrick Green seems a the more logical and traditional choice than \nPhilbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nSQUARE\n\n******\n\nGreen\n\n******\n\nsquare\n\n******\n\nSQUARE!\n\n******\n\nPhilbrick Square is an historic name almost 100 years old in an historic\nneighborhood and should stay as such.\n\nSince [the] Christmas Eve sing [started] over 35 years ago I have never\ncalled it Caroling on the Green. This name was attached by either a\nHighlight Editor or by someone on the HSHNA board. My aunt lived [on]\nUpland for many decades and would be sad indeed to know of any proposed\nname change.\n\nA \"Green\" by definition is situated in the center of a town or village.\n\nPlease cast my vote for Square.\n\n******\n\nSquare please or, if you must, Square at the Green, to satisify [others].\n\n******\n\nSquare.\n\n******\n\nSquare. Hopefully we count as two votes! Thanks for doing this.\n\n******\n\nGreen. That's my vote.\n\n******\n\nHi\nPhilbrick Green is my preference.\n\n******\n\nI would like to register my support for the name \"Philbrick Green\"\nas most suitable.\n\n******\n\n[My husband] and I vote for Philbrick Green.\n\n******\n\nI vote Green\n\n******\n\nGreen\n\n******\n\n\"SQUARE\"\n\n******\n\nI vote for Philbrick Green.\n\n******\n\nI vote for Square\n\n******\n\nI am voting to change the sign to Philbrick Green\n\n******\n\n[2 reidents] asked to be recorded in favor of \nPhilbrick Green.\n\n******\n\nOur neighbors [2] also favor Green.\n\n******\n\n[A resident] favors Green.\n\n******\n\nAs [an] owner occupant of [a historic house] I\nwould like to express my strong sense that Philbrick Green is the\nappropriate term, not Square, and that the new sign,\nevidently installed without discussion or notice, be changed.\n\nthank you for your consideration.\n\n******\n\n[We] register our support and the reasonable compromise of\nPhilbrick Green for the name of the Green on Upland Road.\n\n******\n\nwell, since it's not a square\nand since it is green space\nand since we always call it \"the green\" in my 20 years here\n\ni vote for Philbrick Green.\n\n******\n\nI would like to see the Town of Brookline keep the historically \naccurate name of Philbrick Square.\n\n******\n\nGreen\n\n******\n\ni support the name \"philbrick GREEN\" as we have always referred to that\narea as \"the green\"\n\n******\n\nWe vote for Philbrick Green and will happily continue to refer to it as The\nGreen.\n\n******\n\nI might have been a bit confused when submitting my original vote on\nthis matter. Please change my vote to \"green.\". Also, [my husband] indicated\nthat he would like to vote for \"green\" as well. Thanks\n\n******\n\n[Our] household members heartily wish there was no sign at \nall - it is an eyesore, and it seems unnecessary to have a sign \nplanted on such a small piece of ground.\n\nBarring its removal, though, we would vote for SQUARE, if that is what \nis on official town maps, to avoid confusion (we'll still call it \n'the green' amongst ourselves, of course).\n\n******\n\nThe Upland Road triangular greenspace should be called Philbrick Green.\n\n\"Philbrick\" is the historical part of the name and this is being \npreserved. The \"Square\" portion of the original name feels more like a \ngeneric placeholder which was included by default.\n\n\"Square\" suggest to me something more urban -- public space including \npaved paths and often a fountain or monument (Sam Philbrick leading \nescaped slaves to Canada or Ed Philbrick burrowing through the \nBerkshires?) at the center. \"Green\" suggests something less developed \nand is therefore a more accurate description.\n\nAlthough several public spaces in Brookline are called \"Square\", there \nare exceptions such as Emerson Garden and Longwood Mall. \"Green\" means \nany public greenspace, not just the main public greenspace such as the \n\"Town Green.\"\n\nFor those who appreciate quirky names, if Philbrick Square is renamed to \nPhilbrick Green, Brookline will still have a three-sided square -- St. \nMark's Square.\n\nThe sign at Knyvet Square reads \"Knyvet Park\" so perhaps a compromise is \nto leave the name as \"Square\" but change the sign to \"Green.\"<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"