Time running out for Boston neighbors suing to block professional soccer stadium in public park
BOSTON - A Boston judge needs more time to decide whether a professional soccer stadium should move into the city's Franklin Park.
"I would love to see a women's professional soccer team in Boston, but it doesn't belong in a public park," Jamaica Plain resident Carla-Lisa Caliga told WBZ TV. She's part of the lawsuit to stop the plans.
Boston Unity Soccer Partner announced plans to bring a women's professional soccer team to Boston with hopes of building a new stadium where White Stadium stands in Franklin Park. White Stadium is currently being used by two Boston high school football and track and field teams for games and practices.
"Redevelopment would give us more access, better resources," said Hatim Jean-Louis, a cross country coach. "Have you seen the locker rooms? If the people saw the locker rooms, they wouldn't be in there."
Caliga argues White Stadium was built for Boston students – for Friday night football games and community events.
"A sports team, a money-making enterprise does not belong in public space," she said.
The City of Boston plans to invest $50 million on the new stadium and Boston Unity Soccer committed $30 million to turn the rundown field into a brand new venue.
"It's closed most of the time because it's unusable," Mayor Michelle Wu said Wednesday. Wu supports the project to renovate the property that can benefit Boston Latin School and Boston Latin Academy student athletes. "Putting a lot of investments into making sure these two teams in particular have totally refurbished fields."
But opponents argue the students would come second to Boston Unity Soccer and their schedule and that taxpayer dollars should be invested into children directly, not a private company.
"In a perfect world, we would put that $50 million and whatever extra money we needed to rehab White Stadium fully," Caliga explained.
Time is of the essence because Boston Unity Soccer hopes to break ground in coming weeks.