Ahead of White Stadium demolition, Boston residents tell City Council to listen to them
BOSTON - With the start of demolition looming over Franklin Park's White Stadium, neighbors and critics gathered for two Boston City Council hearings.
Critics oppose soccer stadium plan
"The neighborhood would not be the same no matter what you believe," one resident testified.
Many critics wore bright orange shirts that read "Keep Franklin Park Public" – hoping to save the portion of Franklin Park from becoming a pro women's soccer stadium. The project, the city estimates, will cost taxpayers $100 million to build.
"I've been using the park since I was a kid," Dr. Jean McGuire told WBZ-TV.
The longtime resident has lived four blocks from White Stadium all her life – a venue designated for Boston Public School athletics.
"You involve the neighborhood in the discussions of what you want to do with our tax money," she explained.
"But you need to listen to the old residents that have been here from the beginning," another resident testified. "It was a fight back in the day to get White Stadium built in there. And this is a public space."
The mayor's office said the new White Stadium will be owned by the city, used by BPS and leased to BOS Nation FC, a new National Women's Soccer League team, for their home games.
Business owner welcomes stadium
"This is not hurting our park; this is making our park greener than ever before," Beth Santos said before the City Council.
Santos co-owns Ula Café in Jamaica Plain and believes the new stadium will shine a spotlight on Boston neighborhoods, which will in turn boost the economy.
"This stadium has been ignored for decades and now we finally have an opportunity to do something about it. To bring that money that has escaped our city, into our city. To invest hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars on ticket sales," she said.
But others worry the project will privatize a public resource without input from neighbors like McGuire who use the park daily.
"This is not about making money. That's not what that park is supposed to be – it's for the youth of the City of Boston," McGuire explained.
BOS Nation FC is set to join the NWSL in 2026.
