January 31, 2025 • 39 mins
There is an ongoing debate between the city of Boston and various community members over the city’s plan to renovate Franklin Park’s White Stadium into a stadium complex that will host a professional women’s soccer team. Many neighbors around Franklin Park have expressed concerns over the project’s potential environmental impact and the use of public land for private use. We spoke to Louis Elisa, the President of the Garrison-Trotter Neighborhood Association, about their group’s concerns over the White Stadium renovation project.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray w BZ Coostin's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, we're going to talk about White Stadium, UH
it's future in Boston. Delighted to be joined by Boston
Herald reporter Gala Caley. Hi, Gala, welcome back to Night's that.
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I'm good, Thanks for having me, UH.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I know that you have followed this story very very closely.
I have followed it, uh in the in the newspaper,
the UH. The Herald has has done some great coverage
on it. The Globe has covered it as well. But
it is fair to say that the publisher of the Globe,
Linda Pizzuti, UH, is also an investor UH in the
(00:43):
the new women's soccer program. So just trying to stay
with just the facts. I'm sure that we'll get callers
later on during this hour who want to take a
position one way or the other. Where do we stand
at this point? Now? You reported in I guess it
was this morning's newspaper about a protest yesterday protesting the
(01:07):
ongoing demolition of White Stadium again because they intend to
build this professional soccer stadium on the site. This train's
moving down the track. It would seem to me.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Right, Yeah, demolition works started last week, so the protest
was basically going on while demolish work was taking place
behind the protesters.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Has has has the demolition work? I read your piece
in the Globe today and said that there were the
protesters were protesting the removal of some trees. Has the
demolition work on the actual physical plant of the stadium begun?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So right now it's more prep work for demolish and
they haven't begun the physical work to take down the stadium,
but they are on site doing.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Work, and there's a hearing in Superior Court on March eighteenth.
Is it possible that the demolition work will actually begin
or maybe even be completed by time that hearing is occurring.
It seems to me that March eighteenth is six at
least six weeks away.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I'm not entirely sure on the timeline, but the demolition
work has taking place over the next two months, so
I would think that while the trial is going on,
there would be work going on to take down the stadium.
So it's basically the city taking the down the stadium
at its own risk. Said the Superior Court role in
favor of the plaintiffs, we're trying to stop the project.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, it seems to me that the plaintiffs should probably
get into court and try to enjoin the demolition work.
The reason I say that is I'm just referring to
one of the paragraphs in your piece in Today's Globe said.
The plaintiffs announced this week they have filed an expanded
legal complaint in Suffolk Superior Court. The case is set
to go to trial in March eighteenth. You know, the
(03:01):
issues could the issue could be moved, set the stage
for us. Who are the from You know, you've covered
it obviously. The mayor is very committed to this. I
think it's clear they had city council vote. I don't
cover the council much, but it looked like a really
interesting lineup. It ended up as a six to six vote.
(03:21):
One councilor, I guess was absent or chose not to
be there. I'm not sure which. Even if it had
passed seven to six, I assume the mayor could have
vetoed that that motion if even if it passed by
that closer margin.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Correct, correct. So the council was voting on a resolution
which is non binding in nature. So even if the
council had passed that resolution, the mayor was under no,
she didn't have to comply with the council vote to
call demolition.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Okay. So I know it was a big hearing and
all of that, but I didn't know if there was Okay,
so set the bigger stage. The bigger stage is that
there's a group that wants to renovate the stadium. I guess,
demolish what's there and build a new stadium. It started
off as a fifty million dollar project. I think you'll
call them today said it's up to one hundred million
(04:17):
dollars and that some people are concerned that the opponents say,
according to your piece, that it could eventually end up
two hundred million dollars. They would build a stadium where
the women's soccer team would play play on the stadium
field from March to November. I guess it wouldn't start
(04:37):
until two thousand, as I understand, a year for now
twenty twenty six. Give us the argument on both sides
as you see it, and then I'll let you go.
The protesters are essentially saying, don't tear this stadium down,
fix it, but leave it for students in Boston, correct, right.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So the opponents are trying to make the case and
in their lawsuit that the project by transferring link to
a for profit group, Boston UNI's Soccer Partners, which is
the ownership group behind the new professional women's soccer team,
that would be illegally privatizing public trust land. So that's
(05:21):
their argument in the lawsuit. And the city is saying
that they're proceeding with the plan and that it would
increase use for Boston Public school students and basically rehab
a dilapidated stadium that's been falling apart for decades.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Has there been any thought I know that there's some
at least conversation about a soccer stadium being built in Everett.
I'm not even up to date. Do you know where
that plan stands at this point?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So the legislature approved the Economic Development Bill which included
a stipulation that allows the Effett Stadium to move forward,
which would be the new home of the New England Revolution.
And the Craft Group is behind that plan, so that
that's been approved by the legislature to clear the way
to that, but that stadium hasn't been built yet.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right in the discussion, Yeah, at the timetable that would
be a big stadium, as I understand it, that's something
that's what at least two or three years at best
in the future.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
I would think. So yeah, So that the Boston Stadium,
they're trying to do demolitions for the next couple of
months and continue construction into early next year and get
it built so that the new women's team can basically
take the pitch by March twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
So my last.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Question, and again thank you for helping us put this
in context. Has there been any conversation if the Robert
Craft proposal to build a big soccer stadium, I mean,
I think it's substantially substantially bigger than what White Stadium
would be in Effett. Has there been any conversation about
(07:07):
having the women's soccer team maybe play next year for
a season or two at Gillette. Soccer teams don't have
you know, baseball like one hundred and sixty two games
a year schedules. They generally play, you know, twenty twenty
five games a year. I would assume that in that
period of the year when the Patriots are not at home,
(07:30):
there would be some dates available at Gillette. Has there
any conversation about that with anyone, or is it just
full steam ahead on this white stadium project.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So I think there's actually been I saw some other
reporting that there's been conversation about potentially using a soccer
deal at Boston University. I think the larger conversation has
been whether the new women's team should share use of
the new stadium and effort with the men's team of
(08:00):
having their own separate stadium built.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah. I it would seem to me, you know, going
back when the when the Bruins shared the Boston Garden
with minor league hockey team, the Boston Braves. I don't know.
I think that I'm not mistaken. The Giants and the
Jets share a football stadium in New Jersey. It's I
(08:27):
wonder why the real I wonder why the reluctant interesting.
Just the timing questions are interesting. Gala, thank you so much.
I so enjoy your columns. They when I shouldn't say,
your columns, your stories, the reports that you file, they're
they're clear, and and that's why we've asked you back
to kind of uh set the stage here for so
(08:48):
thank you so much for for being the reporter that
you are, and thank you so much for helping keep
Boston in to newspapers.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
City great things.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You're very welcome. Thanks Gayla Cawley of the Boston Herald,
and you read her stuff every day in the Herald,
and she's on top of this story. Now, what I
want to do is I want to open it up
and I want to give you folks an opportunity to
weigh in whether you're in favor or opposed to the
renovation or whatever you want to call it, demolition, reconstruction,
(09:19):
however you want to call it. At White Stadium. I
certainly think that White Stadium should be improved, there's no
question about that. But whether or not there should be
room for a women's soccer team and effort. If they
build the stadium they expect out there, that's going to
be a venue that might be underutilized. So let's have
(09:43):
at it. If you live in Boston and you have
strong feelings on it, we're going to be talking with
another guest. I believe at nine point thirty Lewis Eliza,
the president of the Garrison Torotter Neighborhood Association, And I
think it's an interesting issue, particularly on the cusp of
a campaign here. This is an issue that I think
(10:04):
there are strong feelings on both sides. Our number pretty
simple six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six
one seven, nine three one ten thirty. I understand that
every team would like to have their own stadium, but
from a fiscal point of view and also from the
comfort of a neighborhood point of view. The Celtics and
(10:25):
the Bruins, they each play over eighty games a year,
and that doesn't even include playoffs, and somehow can live
together and find a schedule, as do a lot of
professional hockey and basketball teams in different cities. I don't
understand why any team, any professional sports team, particularly soccer,
(10:52):
can't share a stadium. To me, it's it's kind of
a question of economics. One on one. I wonder what's
going on. Maybe you have some insights, join the conversation,
coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
nights Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So to me, it's an interesting story. Ironically, of course,
Robert Craft is the apparently the builder or will be
the uh, the the funder for the stadium and effort.
His son Josh Graft is apparently on the cusp of
(11:34):
formally announcing that he is going to challenge mayor who
for mayor, So this becomes a really interesting political story
as well. So love to hear from you, particularly if
you are from the you know, Franklin Park community. Is
this Do you see this as an upgrade to your
community or do you see it as an opportunity for
(11:58):
people from the outside to come in and actually turn
a stadium in your community or a piece of land
in your community into something that doesn't necessarily have great
benefit to your community. I think it's a fascinating issue,
particularly in an election year. Let me go to Phil
in Boston. Phil, you are first this hour nightside.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Go right ahead, lucky me.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
You know this thing is going crazy. Actually I never
been to that stadium, but it wasn't that.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
That was believe.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
It was started under a guy named George Wright. Was
white with a multi millionaire who dedicated to the land,
including the zoo as they had a restaurant in that area. Also,
it was dedicated to the city of Boston and it
should be a historical landmark. I believe would not be
given like a little to throw at them and it
(12:49):
was non commercial, no deviation's license a CC.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I'm sure that, I'm sure that all of those issues,
Phil will be discussed. The White Stadium has for decades
been the place where high school football is played for
Boston schools, Boston Public schools, right, and so that has
always been the place that high school football has been played.
(13:18):
And of course the stadium has fallen into disrepair over time.
It's not the it's not as as wonderful perhaps physically
as it once was. And now you have a women's
soccer team coming in and a little bit apparently has
been let's knock.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Down the statue liberty while we're at it. That's getting
some kind of old tool. But I mean, I just
thought you is all at traffic's going to be coming
in there. I mean, we're packing to get the whole people.
I mean, people can have a little peace and choir
with a few trees, a few old trees. And why
can't they enjoy your working all day paying the bills
for the stuff, and what do they do? None of
(13:54):
its just an opinion.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Well yeah again, I I what part of Boston do
you live in?
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Philm I live about ten miles from there, roughly that's fine.
That may have wolves neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Actually Russindale, Okay, fine, well whatever the point is, you're
not being impacted directly, but you have empathy for people
who are being impacted directly. And again when you read
the piece in the Boston Herald today, clearly there was
a pretty significant demonstration yesterday. And yes, the demolition is
(14:30):
going on, and that's happened in a lot of communities.
You had, you know, runway expansions at Logan Airport, you know,
forty fifty years ago, when the people in East Boston said, no,
you know, we got too much air traffic noise. Now, yeah,
rolled over, They got rolled over. And it happens a
(14:51):
lot there was they were going to run the big
road right through Roxbury and Dorchester and Mattapan and and
uh they we're going to have, you know, an extension
that you have all of these fights, and what happens
is each community gets separated. It's interesting that you're the
(15:12):
first person calling having empathy for your neighbors ten miles
away in Boston. And I think that that that's credit
to you, a credit to you. But I would hope
to hear from folks who are more directly impacted, so
they can talk about what it means to them. They
do have a golf course down in Franklin Park, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
(15:36):
Well that's not going to be impacted by this. This
is the stadium, and of course there will be and
I think a lot of people in Boston look at
this and say, look, this is our stadium. We've paid
taxes for years and years and years, and now some
group with deeper pockets is coming in. So okay, I mean, well, yeah,
(16:03):
you know again that that's an irrelevant issue because I
would assume that that people will be able to if
they want to go attend the games, they'll be able
to buy tickets, drive there, et cetera. No I gotta
I gotta run here because they want to get one
more in before my break is always thanks, question called
thank you good night. Let me go to Mike in Boston. Mike,
you were next on nightside.
Speaker 7 (16:20):
Welcome, Hi Dan, how are you? We've talked off and on.
We share a high school alma made together and I
played my high school football there.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, so that goes back when we were there in
the eighties, seventies, seventies. Okay, go ahead, I didn't play football.
In high school, I played hockey and baseball, So I'm
glad to hear from you.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
Go ahead, I played hockey and baseball too. Anyway, you know,
grew up in Jamaica. Plane this this thing makes no
sense at all. I mean, it's an ego trip.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Here.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
The mayor is trying to raise taxes and then spend
one hundred million dollars on a stadium that doesn't make
any sense. And why don't they use the model that
the women's professional hockey team did. They're playing up at
Lowell because they couldn't support at this juncture a new rank.
And it's just an ego trip. And if you know
Linda Henry, you know who has an ownership interest, so believes,
(17:16):
and let's get her husband a stroke of check. I mean,
it just makes no sense on any front to spend
the taxpayer dollars for. And I don't live in Boston anymore,
so it doesn't affect me. But she's out trying to
raise taxes and the community doesn't want it. And you
know it's funny. I had summer jobs with the NBC
in Franklin Park and it's and it's a it's a
beautiful area. But it's not that easily accessible. And if
(17:39):
you look at it any infrastructure situation, you know, accessibility
is the key. Look at all the money they had
to spend and roote one in Foxborough. Uh uh uh,
you know, to to finally get Jillette Stadium somewhat workable.
So it's it's kind of sad to see a power
play like this in the backs of the citizens of Bostin.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Yeah, you know, I don't know what the cap of
a newly constructed or a newly refurbished, however you want
to characterize that stadium would be. But if they're gonna,
let's say, have a stadium of even modest size, which
would be fifteen thousand, I don't know what the capacity
of White stadium is. You would know better than I
since you played football there.
Speaker 7 (18:17):
I don't, But it's not that much.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
No, I'm no, I understand that. But what I'm saying is,
you build a stadium let's say, let's say fifteen or
twenty thousand. That's about the size of the seating capacity
at the Garden, right, But I gotta tell you, I
don't know where you're gonna put fifteen or twenty thousand
cars in the Franklin Park area. There's a zoo that
(18:42):
runs there. I don't know what time of day, what
days of the week they're gonna have games. It's and
of course.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
The has the garden has creator rail and rapid transits
so people can park their cars in and indoor.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Parking, indoor parking. They obviously are parking with street exactly.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
And it's just it's just not a great location. And
I mean, just to you know, if they're talking ninety
million dollars now that it's going to be more than
ninety million dollars. And I just I feel bad for
the citizens because I think this mayor is quite naive
and we'll see where it all goes.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
And well, I don't know that she's naive. I think
quite the contrary. I think that she makes other mayors
look like, you know, wilting Flowers. I mean, she she
rolls over people who disagree. Look what happened in the
North End, uh, Look look what has happened elsewhere. And
(19:40):
I gotta tell you that she she what, she gets
what she wants. Hey, I got to break away, unfortunately, Mike,
because they got a special CBS News report coming down
to this plane crash. Tonight smaller plane crash in Philadelphia.
Keep on on top of with this and anytime we
touch it, you give us a call. Okay, Thanks Mike.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
With Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
All right, we are now joined by Lewis. Elisa Lewis,
Welcome to Night Side. How are you, sir?
Speaker 8 (20:13):
Good evena I'm fine?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
How are you doing great? You have been active in
the Boston neighborhood communities for how long?
Speaker 8 (20:24):
It's about fifty years. I've been with the Garrison Try
to Navorate Association and the Frankent Bark Correlation since nineteen
seventy eight. We started in both at the same time.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So tell us about from your perspective. We spoke earlier
this hour with Gayla Cawley of the Boston Herald The Reporter.
There's something about this set of circumstances that doesn't quite
feel right to me. Has anyone thought about having the
(20:55):
women's soccer team play out at the Gillette Stadium couple
of years until that soccer stadium is built over in Everett.
Speaker 8 (21:05):
Well, the understanding is there have been a number of
discussions about alternative sites. It's not just Everett, but you know,
Solgeant Field and over at Harvard, over bu you know,
places where they have a lot more seating capacity and
where they have transportation, and they're not creating such a
major negative externality on the surrounding communities. I'm not sure
(21:28):
why they want to try to stick it into a
historic park. This park is by Omstead Glaus Omstead. It's
over one hundred and some years old, It's on the
National Historic Registry. And it seems like they don't have
a concern that what they're doing is that they're destroying,
you know, a treasure that's a part of the city
of Boston, not Gesture, Dorchester and Jamaica Plane and Rocks
(21:49):
Ray for the city of Boston. It's a historic landmark.
But they seem to care a little about it. And
this may have seemed dead set to give this team
opportunity to create an entertainment center. Some of it may
beat the soccer, but rest of it is entertainment at
the expense of everyone who lives in the community.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
So what will they do? I mean, it seems to
me that their goal is to demolish White Stadium. That
demolition's underway, am I correct Lewis?
Speaker 8 (22:19):
Well, they've set up They've not taken down any walls,
but they're doing the preparation. The problem is not just
the demolition of a building that is a monument also
as part of the Art deco of the serties, but
they want to destroy one hundred and forty eight mature
trees and for whatever reason, has nothing to do with
them being able to play soccer in the stadium. So
we're trying to figure out as a community, why are
(22:41):
they destroying the fauna and the floral you know environment.
Why are they taking away mature trees that also add
to the quality of life in terms of air filtration,
and you know, they can't be replaced. They don't have
enough space to replace the trees that they're trying to
take down, So it doesn't make sense. We're not sure
it has anything to do with soccer anymore. It's just
(23:02):
that they want to give a gift to a bunch
of millionaires because they're not thinking about the people in Jamaica.
Plain a rock Ferry.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Lewis in terms of taking down trees, I haven't been
on a site survey, but I'm very familiar with Franklin Park.
Go to Franklin Park Zoo and all of that, I'll
bet you the word that is reality is what's prompting
the removal of the trees. Is one word parking.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Well, I hope not, because their footprint for White Stadium
is small, and so if they're taking down trees and parkland,
they're violating Chapter ninety seven of the State of Public
Parks Land. And I know that everything that they're doing
now is different than the Franklin Park Coalition, in the
community groups and others that came together to file a
(23:50):
lawsuit against them, the own state Conservancy in Garrison Trotter.
We brought the lawsuit because they were threatening parkland. They
said they weren't, and so the Judge Ellison, she would not,
you know, allow us to have a twoper restraining order.
Now they're taking, clearly taking two full acres of parkland
(24:11):
and at the tint of use for parking, it's not
allowed by the state law. And so I really think
that the Attorney General and the Auditory and you know,
the Secretary of State and some of the others, the
Secretary Environmental Affairs should be questioning what's going on here
because this is egregious land taking and what they're proposing
if it's for parking. This would be totally against the
(24:33):
law as established within the commonwealths Lewis.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
I know that there's a hearing or it's actually the
case is set to go to trial on March eighteenth.
It seems to me that by March eighteenth a lot
of damage can be done through demolition. Do you think
it's time to perhaps go back into court and with
(24:58):
some evidence of of what's being done to the trees
and also the arrival of the demolition equipment, that the
judge might decide to reconsider her denial of her preliminary
injunction because clearly there will be irreverable harm being done
if they're able to proceed with the demolition and the
(25:19):
removal of the trees before the trial even starts.
Speaker 8 (25:24):
You're absolutely right, there's no question in lovable harm we've done.
You cannot unbeat the drum or put the genie back
in the bottle. To remove these mature trees, one hundred
and forty eighty of them, would be devastating to the
environment just in general, just for the quality of life
or just the quality of the air within the in
the area. But you know what we asked the city
to do. We ask the city council to step up
(25:45):
and represent the concerns of also this subaultment because while
the park is in seven District seven and in roxbory
Dorchester in Jamaica Plane, it serves the city, it's the
regional park. It's the park with the that serves the region.
I mean, this is a park that has the golf course.
I mean what they're doing is not just devastating the
(26:06):
white stadium area, but the place stead which is used
for hundreds of events throughout the year. And I think
the Mayor's cone death and I think those city councils
who just sit on the side and act like they
have it has no impact on them are not representing
their constituents very well because the course of this thing
is far exceeding anything that's necessary to rebuild a stadium
(26:27):
for the use of children. So we're clear that this
is not about children, this is not about athletic sports
in our public schools. But if the judge will hear it,
I would hope that that the members of the Rocks
of the Franklin Park Defenders group that are trying to
get the judge to reconsider in the first place, would
go back and ask for another order to say until
there's clear understanding of what this impact is going to be.
(26:49):
Now that they've gone past the footprint for a white
stadium and they're in chapter ninety seven, you know there
should be a halt of this because there's still just
fundamental things that have not been clarified, particularly there talking
and the transl tation plan. It's not even close to
being finalized.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Lewis, you're you've been a great spokesman for causes in
this city for many years, and you you're a great
spokesman tonight for it. I the more I look at this,
the more questions I have, and you've raised more issues
in my mind. And I've got to tell you, I
(27:25):
don't know who your lawyers are.
Speaker 9 (27:27):
I don't know if you're the folks who you're working
with are able to hire, you know, a big Boston
law firm or something like that, or if one of
these big loss of Boston law.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Firms would do some pro bono work. There may be
some some lawyers in Boston who are listening to us tonight,
And it would seem to me that this is a
if if simply one Superior Court judge has said no,
if that superior Court judge is not willing to reconsider
a change in circumstances, then I would try to appeal
(27:59):
it and if necessary, go through what's called the gatekeeper
Statute at the State Supreme Court and get it up
in front of a single justice of the Supreme Court. Again,
the city has plenty of lawyers in their legal department,
funded by taxpayers from your community and other parts of Boston.
It seems to me that that you guys are getting
(28:21):
rolled over here, and just on the point of just
absolute fairness, I'm concerned about it. Let us do this, Lewis,
Let's stay with me for a second, and let's for
a few minutes, and let's see if some listeners want
to chime in on this. I looked at the story
in the Herald today. I looked at the Globe. Was
there a story in this protest in the Globe today?
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Yeah? There was something was something about there was about
two thousand and three dozen people out yesterday in the
freezing cold. You know, because there's a commitment coming from
all quarters of the communities, not coming from one neighborhood,
come from people are far away, right.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
So it's good that it's good that the Globe readers
as well. I mean, it's a it's a it's a
it's a great picture, uh, in the that Nancy Lane
took in the Herald today, A company Gala Cawley's story.
We'll take a break if you'd like to talk with
Lewis and Lisa six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty,
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Lewis has
(29:18):
taken on many fights during his career here in Boston
on social justice issues, and I suspect he sees it
very clearly as just another one of those fights. I
think that the story needs more publicity, and that's why
we're talking about it tonight. I hope you join the conversation.
It may not affect you if you don't live in Boston,
(29:38):
but uh, it's a it's a question of fairness and equity,
and at this point, those people who are standing on
the cold yesterday, they get, in my opinion, the short
end of the stick back on Night's side right after
this six one seven, two, five four to ten thirty
six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
So my guess Is Lewis. Elisa Lewis is a community
activist in Boston for many years president of the Garrison
Trotter Neighborhood Association, and they are opposed to the demolition
of White Stadium in the construction of a soccer stadium
for the use of a new female soccer team that
(30:24):
has been granted a team in Boston with us. Now
friend of many years in someone who's a big advocate
for schoolboys sports himself, quite an athlete, former NHL player
Paul Stewart who lives down the Cape. Stew I hope
you don't mind you introducing you, but I want to
get you because it touches on a subject I know
(30:46):
you're concerned about. I want to get your credentials in
front of the audience. Go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (30:51):
Well, I spend many many years every Friday afternoon watching
my dad coach Boston English as we played at White Stadium.
I remember in the springtime my dad's baseball team tryouts
were always asked. I think that would be the south
end of the stadium as well. They had track and field,
(31:13):
and I think back to when the Patriots were thinking
about they had been over at BU they were thinking
about trying to take over White Stadium, and that was
shot down because of the fact that my dad told
me this that there was a fund called the George
Robert White Fund who had financed the stadium when they
(31:34):
first built it for the benefit of the students of
the city of Boston. In fact, in the mid seventies,
a Northeastern University who had played at Perkins Field in Brookline,
which was half during a half grass. They eventually dropped
their football program because they couldn't get a stadium. They
(31:54):
tried to get the White Stadium and that was rejected
because this schoolboys stadium. I guess the the uh, the
entire way the documents were set up was only for
the students and the children of the city of Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yeah, it was. It was. It was probably a charitable
trust which probably existed this day. By the way, people
who don't remember Northeastern football, they had some pretty good
football players coming out of there, including a tight end
by the name of Dan Ross.
Speaker 8 (32:27):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Paul, say hello to Lewis, you I know where your
heart would be on this, Lewis. This is a friend
of mine, Paul Stewart, and he's someone that you guys
should probably talk to because because he understands the history
of this this facility.
Speaker 10 (32:43):
Well, I grew up in Dorchester and Jamaica playing and
as I say, I was at White Stadium quite often.
And the fact of the matter is that if the
soccer team the one side of the stadium not suse
the neighborhood, the other side was gutted by fire. And
(33:04):
the fact is that if this soccer team wanted to
utilize the stadium with the stands as is, refurbished them,
put maybe new benches, seats in and such, and utilized
it for a year or two until the other soccer
stadium is built out by the old racetrack. I think
that that would be appropriate because the refurbishments that they
(33:26):
would have very similar to what the Whalers, the Boston
Whalers did in seventy two when they came in and
assisted with the with the with the rebuilding of the
Boston Arena. So, yeah, come use our stadium, fix it up,
use it, but you're not going to be here for long.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
And that to me because the students and.
Speaker 10 (33:49):
The children of the city of Boston really should own
that place.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Yeah, well that's what that is. What Lewis said, Lewis,
you want to comment and what Paul had to say,
he's obviously in.
Speaker 8 (33:59):
Your bawlings one, which is and he's spot on. And
then you know, when I came to Boston back in
seventy two, they were programs and activities going there. And
I've always lived on Stever Street or Hutchon Street, but
now I've been on sever Street for more than fifty years,
and I can tell you there are programs and activities
that happened there on a regular basis. Stay up for
school boys, school girl activities. It's been the center of
(34:20):
activity and sports for all the memorial games, of Thanksgiving,
classics and things of that nature. The idea that this
mayor wants to take it and turn it off to
a private concern is no longer being a stadium. It's
not becoming an entertainment center, which I think is what
they want to But the impance is is it supposed
to be for the students in Boston public schools. They
want to take more than one hundred million dollars and
(34:41):
give it over to a private concern, and they're not
trying to maintain the track, you know, But we don't
have a complimentive plan to track and fee a layout
the part of the stadium that was by fire, the
east wing of the stadium, that's the school departments that
they're going to take it over. In the west wind
the UNS Boston UH Soccer. He said that they were
(35:03):
going to pick it up. But what they want to
do is tuned in into you know, a box seats
and lucky you know, lucky cheers and both positives. That
does not service the children's public, does not give anything
to apthletic programs in Boston, which definitely indeed of a
professional field called it's not about all children.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Uh, Lewis, Lewis, hold on, I got another call. I
do want to take ste you said, you said a
lot in a brief period of time, you know, the.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
One or two. I just wanted to add to it that,
you know, come use our stadium and add to it
very similar to what happened. You know, I played golf
at Franklin Park and we had my dad's tournament there
for years. And the fact is that you know that
course is derelicted Donald Ross Course, and you know Bill
(35:59):
Flynn was leased the course and they fixed it up
and now it's back into the spot where it should
be in the hands of the neighborhood, and some great,
great golfers have come out of there. We had Chechie
Rodriguez there, we had Tiger Woods when he was an amateur,
coming and give lessons to the kids. And I think
that this could be the same formula. Don't also forget
(36:22):
that UH Mascot tried to take over East Boston Stadium,
very similarly built, same design, and yet for some reason
it was also uh a property that didn't belong to
anybody but the students and the children of the city
of Boston.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Well, I think both you gentlemen agree. I hope you
can get you together at some point. If either one
of you need the other's number, let me know. Paul,
I got to get one more in. Thanks friend, always
great to.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Talk to you here, Yes, mister president.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Thanks to thank you much. Ben, Thank you appreciate that.
By bye bye, Mark, I got you in here under
the wire, buddy.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I've become very disenchantic with Michelle who It's as if
she has turned into a dictator before our very eyes.
I mean, there's this controversy over what Wright Stadium.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Yes, yep, that's what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Yeah, I mean Nickerson Field it be you would have
been a perfectly good alternative closer to public transportation.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Yeah, you're the second person. You're the second person who
mentioned that. Mark. I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
And there's the dispute over outdoor seating in the North End,
and I suggested a compromise just one row of two
person table. But I seem to have been entirely ignored.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
And you're not special that a lot of people feel ignored, Mark,
So join the club. All right, Mark, you got it
in and I got you in late, but but I'm
running late here and I gotta wrap it up on
the stand.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
And thanks for taking my paw.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
You're welcome. Thank you very much and made some great
points in a brief period of time. Thanks Mark Lewis.
Thank you for the fight that you are carrying on.
If there's anything that I can do for you, Rob
will give you my direct line.
Speaker 8 (38:29):
Thank you, Thank you for Thank you for the opportunity.
And what you're doing is most important. Keep getting people
to understand this isn't about Dorchester or rock Heery to
make a plain, this is about the city of Boston.
People who play golf here, people bring their kids to
the zoo. People love, frankly part but people who love
and appreciate Frederick law On set. This is an historic
(38:49):
landmark that is being destroyed and with little or no
thought about what the long term benefits will be for
the children of the city of Boston. They're families and
the students.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Well said Lewis. Great to hear your voice. It's it
sounds as strong as it ever did. And in a
dispute like this, you tend to be on the side
of the people and on their behalf. I thank you
for doing it. If I can be of any helps you,
you let me know. Rob will give you my direction.
Speaker 8 (39:18):
You so much and keep the word thank Thanks Lewis.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
We will hang there and Rob will give you my
direct line in case you need to reach me. When
we come back. We're going to change topics, lighten up
a little bit, but actually an important topic Valentine's two
days two weeks from today, creating happy and healthy relationships.
We're going to talk with a couple's therapist, the licensed
couple therapist, how you can bring some of the joy
(39:41):
back into your marriage if some of it has somehow disappeared.
We're going to be talking with Carolyn Sharp,
It's Night Side with Dan Ray w BZ Coostin's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, we're going to talk about White Stadium, UH
it's future in Boston. Delighted to be joined by Boston
Herald reporter Gala Caley. Hi, Gala, welcome back to Night's that.
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I'm good, Thanks for having me, UH.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I know that you have followed this story very very closely.
I have followed it, uh in the in the newspaper,
the UH. The Herald has has done some great coverage
on it. The Globe has covered it as well. But
it is fair to say that the publisher of the Globe,
Linda Pizzuti, UH, is also an investor UH in the
(00:43):
the new women's soccer program. So just trying to stay
with just the facts. I'm sure that we'll get callers
later on during this hour who want to take a
position one way or the other. Where do we stand
at this point? Now? You reported in I guess it
was this morning's newspaper about a protest yesterday protesting the
(01:07):
ongoing demolition of White Stadium again because they intend to
build this professional soccer stadium on the site. This train's
moving down the track. It would seem to me.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Right, Yeah, demolition works started last week, so the protest
was basically going on while demolish work was taking place
behind the protesters.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Has has has the demolition work? I read your piece
in the Globe today and said that there were the
protesters were protesting the removal of some trees. Has the
demolition work on the actual physical plant of the stadium begun?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So right now it's more prep work for demolish and
they haven't begun the physical work to take down the stadium,
but they are on site doing.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Work, and there's a hearing in Superior Court on March eighteenth.
Is it possible that the demolition work will actually begin
or maybe even be completed by time that hearing is occurring.
It seems to me that March eighteenth is six at
least six weeks away.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I'm not entirely sure on the timeline, but the demolition
work has taking place over the next two months, so
I would think that while the trial is going on,
there would be work going on to take down the stadium.
So it's basically the city taking the down the stadium
at its own risk. Said the Superior Court role in
favor of the plaintiffs, we're trying to stop the project.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, it seems to me that the plaintiffs should probably
get into court and try to enjoin the demolition work.
The reason I say that is I'm just referring to
one of the paragraphs in your piece in Today's Globe said.
The plaintiffs announced this week they have filed an expanded
legal complaint in Suffolk Superior Court. The case is set
to go to trial in March eighteenth. You know, the
(03:01):
issues could the issue could be moved, set the stage
for us. Who are the from You know, you've covered
it obviously. The mayor is very committed to this. I
think it's clear they had city council vote. I don't
cover the council much, but it looked like a really
interesting lineup. It ended up as a six to six vote.
(03:21):
One councilor, I guess was absent or chose not to
be there. I'm not sure which. Even if it had
passed seven to six, I assume the mayor could have
vetoed that that motion if even if it passed by
that closer margin.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Correct, correct. So the council was voting on a resolution
which is non binding in nature. So even if the
council had passed that resolution, the mayor was under no,
she didn't have to comply with the council vote to
call demolition.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Okay. So I know it was a big hearing and
all of that, but I didn't know if there was Okay,
so set the bigger stage. The bigger stage is that
there's a group that wants to renovate the stadium. I guess,
demolish what's there and build a new stadium. It started
off as a fifty million dollar project. I think you'll
call them today said it's up to one hundred million
(04:17):
dollars and that some people are concerned that the opponents say,
according to your piece, that it could eventually end up
two hundred million dollars. They would build a stadium where
the women's soccer team would play play on the stadium
field from March to November. I guess it wouldn't start
(04:37):
until two thousand, as I understand, a year for now
twenty twenty six. Give us the argument on both sides
as you see it, and then I'll let you go.
The protesters are essentially saying, don't tear this stadium down,
fix it, but leave it for students in Boston, correct, right.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So the opponents are trying to make the case and
in their lawsuit that the project by transferring link to
a for profit group, Boston UNI's Soccer Partners, which is
the ownership group behind the new professional women's soccer team,
that would be illegally privatizing public trust land. So that's
(05:21):
their argument in the lawsuit. And the city is saying
that they're proceeding with the plan and that it would
increase use for Boston Public school students and basically rehab
a dilapidated stadium that's been falling apart for decades.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Has there been any thought I know that there's some
at least conversation about a soccer stadium being built in Everett.
I'm not even up to date. Do you know where
that plan stands at this point?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So the legislature approved the Economic Development Bill which included
a stipulation that allows the Effett Stadium to move forward,
which would be the new home of the New England Revolution.
And the Craft Group is behind that plan, so that
that's been approved by the legislature to clear the way
to that, but that stadium hasn't been built yet.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right in the discussion, Yeah, at the timetable that would
be a big stadium, as I understand it, that's something
that's what at least two or three years at best
in the future.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
I would think. So yeah, So that the Boston Stadium,
they're trying to do demolitions for the next couple of
months and continue construction into early next year and get
it built so that the new women's team can basically
take the pitch by March twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
So my last.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Question, and again thank you for helping us put this
in context. Has there been any conversation if the Robert
Craft proposal to build a big soccer stadium, I mean,
I think it's substantially substantially bigger than what White Stadium
would be in Effett. Has there been any conversation about
(07:07):
having the women's soccer team maybe play next year for
a season or two at Gillette. Soccer teams don't have
you know, baseball like one hundred and sixty two games
a year schedules. They generally play, you know, twenty twenty
five games a year. I would assume that in that
period of the year when the Patriots are not at home,
(07:30):
there would be some dates available at Gillette. Has there
any conversation about that with anyone, or is it just
full steam ahead on this white stadium project.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So I think there's actually been I saw some other
reporting that there's been conversation about potentially using a soccer
deal at Boston University. I think the larger conversation has
been whether the new women's team should share use of
the new stadium and effort with the men's team of
(08:00):
having their own separate stadium built.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah. I it would seem to me, you know, going
back when the when the Bruins shared the Boston Garden
with minor league hockey team, the Boston Braves. I don't know.
I think that I'm not mistaken. The Giants and the
Jets share a football stadium in New Jersey. It's I
(08:27):
wonder why the real I wonder why the reluctant interesting.
Just the timing questions are interesting. Gala, thank you so much.
I so enjoy your columns. They when I shouldn't say,
your columns, your stories, the reports that you file, they're
they're clear, and and that's why we've asked you back
to kind of uh set the stage here for so
(08:48):
thank you so much for for being the reporter that
you are, and thank you so much for helping keep
Boston in to newspapers.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
City great things.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You're very welcome. Thanks Gayla Cawley of the Boston Herald,
and you read her stuff every day in the Herald,
and she's on top of this story. Now, what I
want to do is I want to open it up
and I want to give you folks an opportunity to
weigh in whether you're in favor or opposed to the
renovation or whatever you want to call it, demolition, reconstruction,
(09:19):
however you want to call it. At White Stadium. I
certainly think that White Stadium should be improved, there's no
question about that. But whether or not there should be
room for a women's soccer team and effort. If they
build the stadium they expect out there, that's going to
be a venue that might be underutilized. So let's have
(09:43):
at it. If you live in Boston and you have
strong feelings on it, we're going to be talking with
another guest. I believe at nine point thirty Lewis Eliza,
the president of the Garrison Torotter Neighborhood Association, And I
think it's an interesting issue, particularly on the cusp of
a campaign here. This is an issue that I think
(10:04):
there are strong feelings on both sides. Our number pretty
simple six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six
one seven, nine three one ten thirty. I understand that
every team would like to have their own stadium, but
from a fiscal point of view and also from the
comfort of a neighborhood point of view. The Celtics and
(10:25):
the Bruins, they each play over eighty games a year,
and that doesn't even include playoffs, and somehow can live
together and find a schedule, as do a lot of
professional hockey and basketball teams in different cities. I don't
understand why any team, any professional sports team, particularly soccer,
(10:52):
can't share a stadium. To me, it's it's kind of
a question of economics. One on one. I wonder what's
going on. Maybe you have some insights, join the conversation,
coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
nights Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So to me, it's an interesting story. Ironically, of course,
Robert Craft is the apparently the builder or will be
the uh, the the funder for the stadium and effort.
His son Josh Graft is apparently on the cusp of
(11:34):
formally announcing that he is going to challenge mayor who
for mayor, So this becomes a really interesting political story
as well. So love to hear from you, particularly if
you are from the you know, Franklin Park community. Is
this Do you see this as an upgrade to your
community or do you see it as an opportunity for
(11:58):
people from the outside to come in and actually turn
a stadium in your community or a piece of land
in your community into something that doesn't necessarily have great
benefit to your community. I think it's a fascinating issue,
particularly in an election year. Let me go to Phil
in Boston. Phil, you are first this hour nightside.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Go right ahead, lucky me.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
You know this thing is going crazy. Actually I never
been to that stadium, but it wasn't that.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
That was believe.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
It was started under a guy named George Wright. Was
white with a multi millionaire who dedicated to the land,
including the zoo as they had a restaurant in that area. Also,
it was dedicated to the city of Boston and it
should be a historical landmark. I believe would not be
given like a little to throw at them and it
(12:49):
was non commercial, no deviation's license a CC.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I'm sure that, I'm sure that all of those issues,
Phil will be discussed. The White Stadium has for decades
been the place where high school football is played for
Boston schools, Boston Public schools, right, and so that has
always been the place that high school football has been played.
(13:18):
And of course the stadium has fallen into disrepair over time.
It's not the it's not as as wonderful perhaps physically
as it once was. And now you have a women's
soccer team coming in and a little bit apparently has
been let's knock.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Down the statue liberty while we're at it. That's getting
some kind of old tool. But I mean, I just
thought you is all at traffic's going to be coming
in there. I mean, we're packing to get the whole people.
I mean, people can have a little peace and choir
with a few trees, a few old trees. And why
can't they enjoy your working all day paying the bills
for the stuff, and what do they do? None of
(13:54):
its just an opinion.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Well yeah again, I I what part of Boston do
you live in?
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Philm I live about ten miles from there, roughly that's fine.
That may have wolves neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Actually Russindale, Okay, fine, well whatever the point is, you're
not being impacted directly, but you have empathy for people
who are being impacted directly. And again when you read
the piece in the Boston Herald today, clearly there was
a pretty significant demonstration yesterday. And yes, the demolition is
(14:30):
going on, and that's happened in a lot of communities.
You had, you know, runway expansions at Logan Airport, you know,
forty fifty years ago, when the people in East Boston said, no,
you know, we got too much air traffic noise. Now, yeah,
rolled over, They got rolled over. And it happens a
(14:51):
lot there was they were going to run the big
road right through Roxbury and Dorchester and Mattapan and and
uh they we're going to have, you know, an extension
that you have all of these fights, and what happens
is each community gets separated. It's interesting that you're the
(15:12):
first person calling having empathy for your neighbors ten miles
away in Boston. And I think that that that's credit
to you, a credit to you. But I would hope
to hear from folks who are more directly impacted, so
they can talk about what it means to them. They
do have a golf course down in Franklin Park, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
(15:36):
Well that's not going to be impacted by this. This
is the stadium, and of course there will be and
I think a lot of people in Boston look at
this and say, look, this is our stadium. We've paid
taxes for years and years and years, and now some
group with deeper pockets is coming in. So okay, I mean, well, yeah,
(16:03):
you know again that that's an irrelevant issue because I
would assume that that people will be able to if
they want to go attend the games, they'll be able
to buy tickets, drive there, et cetera. No I gotta
I gotta run here because they want to get one
more in before my break is always thanks, question called
thank you good night. Let me go to Mike in Boston. Mike,
you were next on nightside.
Speaker 7 (16:20):
Welcome, Hi Dan, how are you? We've talked off and on.
We share a high school alma made together and I
played my high school football there.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, so that goes back when we were there in
the eighties, seventies, seventies. Okay, go ahead, I didn't play football.
In high school, I played hockey and baseball, So I'm
glad to hear from you.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
Go ahead, I played hockey and baseball too. Anyway, you know,
grew up in Jamaica. Plane this this thing makes no
sense at all. I mean, it's an ego trip.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Here.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
The mayor is trying to raise taxes and then spend
one hundred million dollars on a stadium that doesn't make
any sense. And why don't they use the model that
the women's professional hockey team did. They're playing up at
Lowell because they couldn't support at this juncture a new rank.
And it's just an ego trip. And if you know
Linda Henry, you know who has an ownership interest, so believes,
(17:16):
and let's get her husband a stroke of check. I mean,
it just makes no sense on any front to spend
the taxpayer dollars for. And I don't live in Boston anymore,
so it doesn't affect me. But she's out trying to
raise taxes and the community doesn't want it. And you
know it's funny. I had summer jobs with the NBC
in Franklin Park and it's and it's a it's a
beautiful area. But it's not that easily accessible. And if
(17:39):
you look at it any infrastructure situation, you know, accessibility
is the key. Look at all the money they had
to spend and roote one in Foxborough. Uh uh uh,
you know, to to finally get Jillette Stadium somewhat workable.
So it's it's kind of sad to see a power
play like this in the backs of the citizens of Bostin.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Yeah, you know, I don't know what the cap of
a newly constructed or a newly refurbished, however you want
to characterize that stadium would be. But if they're gonna,
let's say, have a stadium of even modest size, which
would be fifteen thousand, I don't know what the capacity
of White stadium is. You would know better than I
since you played football there.
Speaker 7 (18:17):
I don't, But it's not that much.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
No, I'm no, I understand that. But what I'm saying is,
you build a stadium let's say, let's say fifteen or
twenty thousand. That's about the size of the seating capacity
at the Garden, right, But I gotta tell you, I
don't know where you're gonna put fifteen or twenty thousand
cars in the Franklin Park area. There's a zoo that
(18:42):
runs there. I don't know what time of day, what
days of the week they're gonna have games. It's and
of course.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
The has the garden has creator rail and rapid transits
so people can park their cars in and indoor.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Parking, indoor parking. They obviously are parking with street exactly.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
And it's just it's just not a great location. And
I mean, just to you know, if they're talking ninety
million dollars now that it's going to be more than
ninety million dollars. And I just I feel bad for
the citizens because I think this mayor is quite naive
and we'll see where it all goes.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
And well, I don't know that she's naive. I think
quite the contrary. I think that she makes other mayors
look like, you know, wilting Flowers. I mean, she she
rolls over people who disagree. Look what happened in the
North End, uh, Look look what has happened elsewhere. And
(19:40):
I gotta tell you that she she what, she gets
what she wants. Hey, I got to break away, unfortunately, Mike,
because they got a special CBS News report coming down
to this plane crash. Tonight smaller plane crash in Philadelphia.
Keep on on top of with this and anytime we
touch it, you give us a call. Okay, Thanks Mike.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
With Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
All right, we are now joined by Lewis. Elisa Lewis,
Welcome to Night Side. How are you, sir?
Speaker 8 (20:13):
Good evena I'm fine?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
How are you doing great? You have been active in
the Boston neighborhood communities for how long?
Speaker 8 (20:24):
It's about fifty years. I've been with the Garrison Try
to Navorate Association and the Frankent Bark Correlation since nineteen
seventy eight. We started in both at the same time.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So tell us about from your perspective. We spoke earlier
this hour with Gayla Cawley of the Boston Herald The Reporter.
There's something about this set of circumstances that doesn't quite
feel right to me. Has anyone thought about having the
(20:55):
women's soccer team play out at the Gillette Stadium couple
of years until that soccer stadium is built over in Everett.
Speaker 8 (21:05):
Well, the understanding is there have been a number of
discussions about alternative sites. It's not just Everett, but you know,
Solgeant Field and over at Harvard, over bu you know,
places where they have a lot more seating capacity and
where they have transportation, and they're not creating such a
major negative externality on the surrounding communities. I'm not sure
(21:28):
why they want to try to stick it into a
historic park. This park is by Omstead Glaus Omstead. It's
over one hundred and some years old, It's on the
National Historic Registry. And it seems like they don't have
a concern that what they're doing is that they're destroying,
you know, a treasure that's a part of the city
of Boston, not Gesture, Dorchester and Jamaica Plane and Rocks
(21:49):
Ray for the city of Boston. It's a historic landmark.
But they seem to care a little about it. And
this may have seemed dead set to give this team
opportunity to create an entertainment center. Some of it may
beat the soccer, but rest of it is entertainment at
the expense of everyone who lives in the community.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
So what will they do? I mean, it seems to
me that their goal is to demolish White Stadium. That
demolition's underway, am I correct Lewis?
Speaker 8 (22:19):
Well, they've set up They've not taken down any walls,
but they're doing the preparation. The problem is not just
the demolition of a building that is a monument also
as part of the Art deco of the serties, but
they want to destroy one hundred and forty eight mature
trees and for whatever reason, has nothing to do with
them being able to play soccer in the stadium. So
we're trying to figure out as a community, why are
(22:41):
they destroying the fauna and the floral you know environment.
Why are they taking away mature trees that also add
to the quality of life in terms of air filtration,
and you know, they can't be replaced. They don't have
enough space to replace the trees that they're trying to
take down, So it doesn't make sense. We're not sure
it has anything to do with soccer anymore. It's just
(23:02):
that they want to give a gift to a bunch
of millionaires because they're not thinking about the people in Jamaica.
Plain a rock Ferry.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Lewis in terms of taking down trees, I haven't been
on a site survey, but I'm very familiar with Franklin Park.
Go to Franklin Park Zoo and all of that, I'll
bet you the word that is reality is what's prompting
the removal of the trees. Is one word parking.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Well, I hope not, because their footprint for White Stadium
is small, and so if they're taking down trees and parkland,
they're violating Chapter ninety seven of the State of Public
Parks Land. And I know that everything that they're doing
now is different than the Franklin Park Coalition, in the
community groups and others that came together to file a
(23:50):
lawsuit against them, the own state Conservancy in Garrison Trotter.
We brought the lawsuit because they were threatening parkland. They
said they weren't, and so the Judge Ellison, she would not,
you know, allow us to have a twoper restraining order.
Now they're taking, clearly taking two full acres of parkland
(24:11):
and at the tint of use for parking, it's not
allowed by the state law. And so I really think
that the Attorney General and the Auditory and you know,
the Secretary of State and some of the others, the
Secretary Environmental Affairs should be questioning what's going on here
because this is egregious land taking and what they're proposing
if it's for parking. This would be totally against the
(24:33):
law as established within the commonwealths Lewis.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
I know that there's a hearing or it's actually the
case is set to go to trial on March eighteenth.
It seems to me that by March eighteenth a lot
of damage can be done through demolition. Do you think
it's time to perhaps go back into court and with
(24:58):
some evidence of of what's being done to the trees
and also the arrival of the demolition equipment, that the
judge might decide to reconsider her denial of her preliminary
injunction because clearly there will be irreverable harm being done
if they're able to proceed with the demolition and the
(25:19):
removal of the trees before the trial even starts.
Speaker 8 (25:24):
You're absolutely right, there's no question in lovable harm we've done.
You cannot unbeat the drum or put the genie back
in the bottle. To remove these mature trees, one hundred
and forty eighty of them, would be devastating to the
environment just in general, just for the quality of life
or just the quality of the air within the in
the area. But you know what we asked the city
to do. We ask the city council to step up
(25:45):
and represent the concerns of also this subaultment because while
the park is in seven District seven and in roxbory
Dorchester in Jamaica Plane, it serves the city, it's the
regional park. It's the park with the that serves the region.
I mean, this is a park that has the golf course.
I mean what they're doing is not just devastating the
(26:06):
white stadium area, but the place stead which is used
for hundreds of events throughout the year. And I think
the Mayor's cone death and I think those city councils
who just sit on the side and act like they
have it has no impact on them are not representing
their constituents very well because the course of this thing
is far exceeding anything that's necessary to rebuild a stadium
(26:27):
for the use of children. So we're clear that this
is not about children, this is not about athletic sports
in our public schools. But if the judge will hear it,
I would hope that that the members of the Rocks
of the Franklin Park Defenders group that are trying to
get the judge to reconsider in the first place, would
go back and ask for another order to say until
there's clear understanding of what this impact is going to be.
(26:49):
Now that they've gone past the footprint for a white
stadium and they're in chapter ninety seven, you know there
should be a halt of this because there's still just
fundamental things that have not been clarified, particularly there talking
and the transl tation plan. It's not even close to
being finalized.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Lewis, you're you've been a great spokesman for causes in
this city for many years, and you you're a great
spokesman tonight for it. I the more I look at this,
the more questions I have, and you've raised more issues
in my mind. And I've got to tell you, I
(27:25):
don't know who your lawyers are.
Speaker 9 (27:27):
I don't know if you're the folks who you're working
with are able to hire, you know, a big Boston
law firm or something like that, or if one of
these big loss of Boston law.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Firms would do some pro bono work. There may be
some some lawyers in Boston who are listening to us tonight,
And it would seem to me that this is a
if if simply one Superior Court judge has said no,
if that superior Court judge is not willing to reconsider
a change in circumstances, then I would try to appeal
(27:59):
it and if necessary, go through what's called the gatekeeper
Statute at the State Supreme Court and get it up
in front of a single justice of the Supreme Court. Again,
the city has plenty of lawyers in their legal department,
funded by taxpayers from your community and other parts of Boston.
It seems to me that that you guys are getting
(28:21):
rolled over here, and just on the point of just
absolute fairness, I'm concerned about it. Let us do this, Lewis,
Let's stay with me for a second, and let's for
a few minutes, and let's see if some listeners want
to chime in on this. I looked at the story
in the Herald today. I looked at the Globe. Was
there a story in this protest in the Globe today?
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Yeah? There was something was something about there was about
two thousand and three dozen people out yesterday in the
freezing cold. You know, because there's a commitment coming from
all quarters of the communities, not coming from one neighborhood,
come from people are far away, right.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
So it's good that it's good that the Globe readers
as well. I mean, it's a it's a it's a
it's a great picture, uh, in the that Nancy Lane
took in the Herald today, A company Gala Cawley's story.
We'll take a break if you'd like to talk with
Lewis and Lisa six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty,
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Lewis has
(29:18):
taken on many fights during his career here in Boston
on social justice issues, and I suspect he sees it
very clearly as just another one of those fights. I
think that the story needs more publicity, and that's why
we're talking about it tonight. I hope you join the conversation.
It may not affect you if you don't live in Boston,
(29:38):
but uh, it's a it's a question of fairness and equity,
and at this point, those people who are standing on
the cold yesterday, they get, in my opinion, the short
end of the stick back on Night's side right after
this six one seven, two, five four to ten thirty
six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
So my guess Is Lewis. Elisa Lewis is a community
activist in Boston for many years president of the Garrison
Trotter Neighborhood Association, and they are opposed to the demolition
of White Stadium in the construction of a soccer stadium
for the use of a new female soccer team that
(30:24):
has been granted a team in Boston with us. Now
friend of many years in someone who's a big advocate
for schoolboys sports himself, quite an athlete, former NHL player
Paul Stewart who lives down the Cape. Stew I hope
you don't mind you introducing you, but I want to
get you because it touches on a subject I know
(30:46):
you're concerned about. I want to get your credentials in
front of the audience. Go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (30:51):
Well, I spend many many years every Friday afternoon watching
my dad coach Boston English as we played at White Stadium.
I remember in the springtime my dad's baseball team tryouts
were always asked. I think that would be the south
end of the stadium as well. They had track and field,
(31:13):
and I think back to when the Patriots were thinking
about they had been over at BU they were thinking
about trying to take over White Stadium, and that was
shot down because of the fact that my dad told
me this that there was a fund called the George
Robert White Fund who had financed the stadium when they
(31:34):
first built it for the benefit of the students of
the city of Boston. In fact, in the mid seventies,
a Northeastern University who had played at Perkins Field in Brookline,
which was half during a half grass. They eventually dropped
their football program because they couldn't get a stadium. They
(31:54):
tried to get the White Stadium and that was rejected
because this schoolboys stadium. I guess the the uh, the
entire way the documents were set up was only for
the students and the children of the city of Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yeah, it was. It was. It was probably a charitable
trust which probably existed this day. By the way, people
who don't remember Northeastern football, they had some pretty good
football players coming out of there, including a tight end
by the name of Dan Ross.
Speaker 8 (32:27):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Paul, say hello to Lewis, you I know where your
heart would be on this, Lewis. This is a friend
of mine, Paul Stewart, and he's someone that you guys
should probably talk to because because he understands the history
of this this facility.
Speaker 10 (32:43):
Well, I grew up in Dorchester and Jamaica playing and
as I say, I was at White Stadium quite often.
And the fact of the matter is that if the
soccer team the one side of the stadium not suse
the neighborhood, the other side was gutted by fire. And
(33:04):
the fact is that if this soccer team wanted to
utilize the stadium with the stands as is, refurbished them,
put maybe new benches, seats in and such, and utilized
it for a year or two until the other soccer
stadium is built out by the old racetrack. I think
that that would be appropriate because the refurbishments that they
(33:26):
would have very similar to what the Whalers, the Boston
Whalers did in seventy two when they came in and
assisted with the with the with the rebuilding of the
Boston Arena. So, yeah, come use our stadium, fix it up,
use it, but you're not going to be here for long.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
And that to me because the students and.
Speaker 10 (33:49):
The children of the city of Boston really should own
that place.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Yeah, well that's what that is. What Lewis said, Lewis,
you want to comment and what Paul had to say,
he's obviously in.
Speaker 8 (33:59):
Your bawlings one, which is and he's spot on. And
then you know, when I came to Boston back in
seventy two, they were programs and activities going there. And
I've always lived on Stever Street or Hutchon Street, but
now I've been on sever Street for more than fifty years,
and I can tell you there are programs and activities
that happened there on a regular basis. Stay up for
school boys, school girl activities. It's been the center of
(34:20):
activity and sports for all the memorial games, of Thanksgiving,
classics and things of that nature. The idea that this
mayor wants to take it and turn it off to
a private concern is no longer being a stadium. It's
not becoming an entertainment center, which I think is what
they want to But the impance is is it supposed
to be for the students in Boston public schools. They
want to take more than one hundred million dollars and
(34:41):
give it over to a private concern, and they're not
trying to maintain the track, you know, But we don't
have a complimentive plan to track and fee a layout
the part of the stadium that was by fire, the
east wing of the stadium, that's the school departments that
they're going to take it over. In the west wind
the UNS Boston UH Soccer. He said that they were
(35:03):
going to pick it up. But what they want to
do is tuned in into you know, a box seats
and lucky you know, lucky cheers and both positives. That
does not service the children's public, does not give anything
to apthletic programs in Boston, which definitely indeed of a
professional field called it's not about all children.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Uh, Lewis, Lewis, hold on, I got another call. I
do want to take ste you said, you said a
lot in a brief period of time, you know, the.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
One or two. I just wanted to add to it that,
you know, come use our stadium and add to it
very similar to what happened. You know, I played golf
at Franklin Park and we had my dad's tournament there
for years. And the fact is that you know that
course is derelicted Donald Ross Course, and you know Bill
(35:59):
Flynn was leased the course and they fixed it up
and now it's back into the spot where it should
be in the hands of the neighborhood, and some great,
great golfers have come out of there. We had Chechie
Rodriguez there, we had Tiger Woods when he was an amateur,
coming and give lessons to the kids. And I think
that this could be the same formula. Don't also forget
(36:22):
that UH Mascot tried to take over East Boston Stadium,
very similarly built, same design, and yet for some reason
it was also uh a property that didn't belong to
anybody but the students and the children of the city
of Boston.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Well, I think both you gentlemen agree. I hope you
can get you together at some point. If either one
of you need the other's number, let me know. Paul,
I got to get one more in. Thanks friend, always
great to.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Talk to you here, Yes, mister president.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Thanks to thank you much. Ben, Thank you appreciate that.
By bye bye, Mark, I got you in here under
the wire, buddy.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I've become very disenchantic with Michelle who It's as if
she has turned into a dictator before our very eyes.
I mean, there's this controversy over what Wright Stadium.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Yes, yep, that's what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Yeah, I mean Nickerson Field it be you would have
been a perfectly good alternative closer to public transportation.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Yeah, you're the second person. You're the second person who
mentioned that. Mark. I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
And there's the dispute over outdoor seating in the North End,
and I suggested a compromise just one row of two
person table. But I seem to have been entirely ignored.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
And you're not special that a lot of people feel ignored, Mark,
So join the club. All right, Mark, you got it
in and I got you in late, but but I'm
running late here and I gotta wrap it up on
the stand.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
And thanks for taking my paw.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
You're welcome. Thank you very much and made some great
points in a brief period of time. Thanks Mark Lewis.
Thank you for the fight that you are carrying on.
If there's anything that I can do for you, Rob
will give you my direct line.
Speaker 8 (38:29):
Thank you, Thank you for Thank you for the opportunity.
And what you're doing is most important. Keep getting people
to understand this isn't about Dorchester or rock Heery to
make a plain, this is about the city of Boston.
People who play golf here, people bring their kids to
the zoo. People love, frankly part but people who love
and appreciate Frederick law On set. This is an historic
(38:49):
landmark that is being destroyed and with little or no
thought about what the long term benefits will be for
the children of the city of Boston. They're families and
the students.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Well said Lewis. Great to hear your voice. It's it
sounds as strong as it ever did. And in a
dispute like this, you tend to be on the side
of the people and on their behalf. I thank you
for doing it. If I can be of any helps you,
you let me know. Rob will give you my direction.
Speaker 8 (39:18):
You so much and keep the word thank Thanks Lewis.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
We will hang there and Rob will give you my
direct line in case you need to reach me. When
we come back. We're going to change topics, lighten up
a little bit, but actually an important topic Valentine's two
days two weeks from today, creating happy and healthy relationships.
We're going to talk with a couple's therapist, the licensed
couple therapist, how you can bring some of the joy
(39:41):
back into your marriage if some of it has somehow disappeared.
We're going to be talking with Carolyn Sharp,
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.