Community groups forced out as Roxbury recreation center becomes shelter for migrants
BOSTON - Hundreds of people utilize the Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex on any given day. It is a community hub for people in Roxbury and hosts many athletic clubs for all ages. But those organizations will be forced to find other places to meet after the state announced it would turn the recreation center into a "temporary safety-net site" to help with the emergency shelter program. It is set to begin housing people on Wednesday.
Delaney Decoo has run with the Boston United Track and Cross-Country Club for nearly four years. It's just one of the programs working and waiting to see where their organization can meet. "It means a lot to me because I get to be with my friends and other kids," said Delaney.
Her mother, Desiree, said she understood the urgency of the migrant housing crisis but thought she, and other families, would have more input. "It was shocking," Desiree said. "However, considering the emergent circumstances we sort of knew a decision needed to be made quickly. We just didn't realize how quickly."
The same can be said for Alenor Williams who walks in the Cass Recreational Complex with her elderly father multiple times a week. It is indoor exercise he was able to get for free during the winter months. Williams said neighbors did not hear about the potential for a change to the facility until Friday. There were two public sessions held in the aftermath, but she believed the state's decision had already been made.
"Well, I definitely think the community was not heard or listened to too," said Williams. "I also don't think we even had an opportunity to really talk about how we can provide support to the families here. If this were to happen, which is now going to happen."
Governor Maura Healey's office said in a press release, "On January 31, 2024, the Cass Recreation Center will begin serving as a temporary safety-net site for families in need of shelter, especially those who have been sleeping at Logan Airport. We appreciate the collaboration of the City, Roxbury elected officials, and the community who worked with us to ensure we could provide families with a safe and warm place to stay while minimizing the impact to the Roxbury community. We are working to relocate recreation programs, ensuring the recreation center and the pool can reopen in June, continuing to make improvements to the center for the long-term benefit of the community, and prioritizing diverse and local vendors."
The governor has a planned news conference with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at the Melnea Cass Recreational Center, Wednesday morning.