Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The fight over the future of Franklin Park's White Stadium heads to trial Tuesday, while demolition remains underway.
The City of Boston and Boston Unity Soccer Partners plan to renovate the 76-year-old stadium and make it the new home for a National Women's Soccer League team.
The new facility would also be available for Boston Public School's students to use.
The plaintiffs, a group made up of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and 20 park neighbors, filed a lawsuit accusing the Wu administration of privatizing a public park.
On Monday, a superior court judge sided with the city dismissing one of two claims made in the plaintiff's lawsuit.
The judge found that the blueprints did not violate the terms of a public charitable trust.
Some residents have been keeping a close eye on the issue. "I'm not against change," said Beth who lives nearby. "And I'm not against projects like this happening, but I think that they went about this wrong from the beginning and I don't know how to fix that."
Another resident said he supports renovating the stadium. "I think the park has been underused, and I'm glad it will be used more," said Sam, who walks the grounds often with his dog."It's a beautiful place."
According to the city's plan, the project would support up to 500 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs.
Taxpayers would front about $100 million, half the cost of the stadium's renovation.
The conservancy meanwhile said the city’s renovation plan amounts to privatization of public land while violating the terms of the George Robert White Fund which paid to build the stadium back in 1949.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.