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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — As demolition begins for the White Stadium Renovation Project, residents are still fighting back.
Boston City Council is set to hold a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. where residents can comment on the plans for White Stadium. This is far from the first hearing and will not be the last, as groups like the Emerald Neck Conservancy (ENC) continue to express concern for the project.
The hearing also comes after Mayor Michelle Wu revealed in December that the City of Boston had signed a lease agreement with Boston Unity Soccer Partners for a professional women’s soccer team to use the stadium.
According to the latest numbers, the city’s portion of renovation costs is an estimated $91 million, up from the initial projection of $50 million. Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy wants the focus to be more on the Boston Public School (BPS) student-athletes, especially with the increasing price tag.
“I feel like we can find the money in the city budget to make the necessary improvements so that BPS students have 100 percent use of it and that it’s not tearing down close to 200 trees, putting in beer gardens, and parking around that neighborhood just so women’s soccer can play a few games there,” said Murphy.
The ENC has sued the city over the renovation project and the trial is expected to begin on March 18, 2025. In a statement earlier this month, the City of Boston claimed the ENC’s report was “not based on any actual knowledge of the site.”
“The ENC report is a work of fiction. We urge ENC to end the lawsuit and misleading attacks on the project and instead work with us to deliver on a promise for BPS student-athletes and all community members that use and love Franklin Park,” said the City of Boston in the statement.
Murphy has urged the city to halt demolition, which is expected to last for about two months.
“Right now, I feel as though a big part of the community, the neighborhood, [and] the residents who will be directly impacted by these changes right up at Franklin Park are being ignored,” said Murphy.
Residents can attend the hearing online or in person at City Hall.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Mike Macklin reports.
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