Santa Island faces roadblock

LYNN – Wyoma Square’s Santa Island is once again decked out with reindeer and ribbons, but a construction project has thrown up a roadblock for volunteers.”It had to be done,” said Lynn Water and Sewer Department Operations Executive Robert Tucker. “It couldn’t wait.”For nearly 20 years David Solimine Sr. of Solimine Funeral Homes has taken over the traffic island in front of his Broadway business and transformed it into Santa Island for the sole purpose of collecting for the Salvation Army Item Santa drive, which is in its 47th year. Volunteers work the island from Thanksgiving leading up to Christmas, collecting money that helps ensure that thousands of Lynn children and Lynn-area children are not forgotten on Christmas Day.Last month, the water and sewer department launched a project to replace 205 feet of 24-inch sewer main that sits 19 feet below ground. Tucker said it’s a big job that is unfortunately situated directly in the Magnolia Street and Broadway intersection, which is where Santa Island sits.The good news is the sewer project, while expected to last at least through Dec. 20, won’t migrate any further toward the square, said Tucker. The entire project will be carried out through the one location.The problem is since the project blocks the turn onto Magnolia Street, what was a stop light is now only a blinking light, Solimine explained.”So people fly by and don’t stop,” he said. “When they could stop at the Island there were three lanes to collect in. Up in the square there are only two.”Solimine said he feels the busy square, which has cars coming and going from Broadway, Lynnfield Street and Parkland Avenue, poses more of a danger for volunteers than Santa Island.Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and a team from her office were collecting in the square Friday. She said she was comfortable there and it didn’t seem to hurt their collecting capabilities.”They collected $645.36 exactly, they did a great job,” Solimine said. “Judy has always been there for us.”Solimine said about one-fifth of the total collected for Item Santa comes from Santa Island.”A lot of money comes from checks and donations and chasing down other avenues,” he said. “But (volunteers) are up there and we’ll see what happens. We’ll do what we can do.”Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Salvation Army Item Santa drive can clip the coupon on A6, fill it out and send it to The Salvation Army Item Santa, P.O. Box 951, Lynn, MA 01903.