It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's Radio.
Welcome back everyone. There has been a ongoing story that we've kind of heard bits and pieces of for the last few months, and that involves the future of White Stadium, which for many, many years was used by Boston Public schools for football games, that very well might change very shortly with the arrival of a women's soccer team here
to Boston. On two sides of the issue, the group that owns the women's soccer team, the Boston Unity Soccer Partners along with the City of Boston, against a group that is a very distinguished group, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, which basically is very concerned about all of the beautiful
park space that encircles Boston Homestead Necklace. I guess as it's been as it's been called with us is great reporter for the Boston Herald who has been with us before, Gayla calla uh, And I want to start off with Collie. Excuse me, Gayla, Cally excuse me, Gayla. You've covered this for some time, we've talked about it before. What happens tomorrow. Tomorrow is kind of a big day in this.
Story, right, Yeah, it's actually to tought off the press. The judge in the who's presiding over the case, just essentially throughout throughout half the case of the plaintiffs, so there they can't argue their case for one of their major claims tomorrow.
I was surprised, and I haven't talked to you about this, and I was surprised why the the demolition of White Stadium was allowed to begin, you know, to begin a couple of weeks ago at least, while this case really theoretically the trial, as much as it's going to be a trial, starts tomorrow. How did the demolition begin? Was there really no effort to come in and enjoin the city from starting to knock this structure down?
So there was amary preliminary injunction that was sought by the plaintiffs, and the judge actually ruled against that. So the city, basically under their own duress, decided to proceed with demolition while the case was still pending in court.
That might be if I was an outside observer, I might look at that as kind of perhaps an indicator of which way this case is going. I know that the Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a well respected organization, and I assumed that they would have a lot of weight in a court. But it looks to me like this point things are trending against them and in favor of the women's new professional women's soccer team and the city of Boston. And in addition, I don't understand this part
of the case. And I'm not asking you to take a position. I'm just trying to help me understand that. I'm going to talk or a couple of people, one at nine point fifteen and one at nine thirty on each side. I think I've read in one of your pieces that there are about one hundred and forty five trees near you know, it's part of Franklin Park or the whole Franklin Park area that are being taken down or have been taken down. Where does that stand the loss of all of that tree cover.
So, yeah, the work to take down those trees have started along with demolition work as part of plans to take down the stadium. So I would I would assume that's still ongoing.
That's one of the thing.
Yeah, what is the And again again I haven't covered this case. If I'm asking you questions to which are you don't have the answer? You feel free to tell me why are they taking down trees? Uh? That that whole area is such a beautiful area, and all during the summer we hear you know, groups and talk about the value of trees in an urban setting, and you know, so many uh so many streets and areas don't have much shade for people and it and it really becomes,
you know, an environmental question. What what's what's going to replace the trees? Are they building a stadium that's going to it's going to expand the footprint of white stadium? Is that? Is that why?
Yeah?
I mean, I'm not entirely clear on the tree taking down the trees, but I would I would think because the stadium is going to be larger than what's currently there, there's going to be more seating, there's going to be more people that they're saying are going to be going to the stadium to see the professional games, and other events are going to be held out of there.
Okay, and maybe that could be for I assume for parking. Maybe I just I have I haven't had much of a chance to talk to the principles here. How long is this trial expected to last? I guess that's a relatively new superior court judge if I'm if I'm not mistaken, he's been a district court judge for a long time. Is it Judge Nestor? Is that his name?
Yeah, So the plaintiffs are saying that they expect the trial to last a couple of weeks.
Well, that should be interesting. But wow, it's a this is a fascinating story. How much as a reporter, and I was a reporter a long time ago, how much access have you been able to get to the principles here the plaintiffs and the defendants. Have they been a talking much off the record? Not that I'm going to ask you what they said, but sometimes in these cases, the lawyers make them button up and they can't. They don't they're not inclined to talk to the reporters of the story.
So they've actually they've actually been pretty accessible. They've held multiple protests where they've made statements about the case. They've you know, they get on the phone with you. They've issued numerous press advisories, so they haven't been difficult to get a hold of. I would I would say, I don't know if they're if they're going into the nitty gritty of the case with the media, but they have been good with being in touch.
I've seen some of the protests that and again you've covered them, and the Herald and the Globe that both cover them. The protests for the most part, seemed to be in opposition to the plan. Is there some support within the area of this of Franklin Park that supports this plan?
Yeah, So the Franklin Park Coalition is in support of the plan. And there's actually a grassroots group that popped up in recent weeks, probably responsive to a lot of the criticism that's been out there, made up of BPS students, coaches, parents that have been pretty active in recent weeks with holding press conferences.
And have you spent much time to get a sense of with the community at large how they feel. Is it kind of split fifty to fifty or do you have a sense as to how the community feels.
So, yeah, I would say that it's split. There's vocal opposition, there's also vocal support. That's particular been prominent in the past few weeks. The city council took a vote to halt demolition that was a deadlock vote that they didn't have enough counselors to come to vote either way. So I think that pretty much reflects the split nature of the response to this project.
Yeah, that was the.
Six to six vote of just about a month ago, if I'm recalling it correctly on the council or council I was thirteen members, correct, and there was someone who was absent that day, and so it was a tie vote. I assume probably the mayor would have vetoed it anyway, and I think that the council probably wouldn't have enough votes to have overridden.
The mayor's potential veto of that if I hit the guess.
Yeah, so that was a non binding resolution, so it was more of a we strongly urge you to take this action if they had voted, if they had the votes to vote in favor of halting deition demolition. And also the mayor has been you know, she's been a champion of this project, and her opponent and the mayor all race, Josh Craftis, has seized on the opposition. He's called for demolition be halted. Last week he called for
a cancelation and a lease agreement. So it's been a prominent issue in the campaign for mayor as well.
Yeah, and I noticed that some of the financial supporters included Linda Pisudi, the wife of John Henry, the owner of the Red Sox, has also left the investor group. I guess with the owner of the ownership group, Galen. Thank you very much. Always great to talk with you. You're a great reporter. You deal with us periodically and I really appreciate the time. Because it's one thing to read your pieces, it's another thing to talk to you in the radio. So thank you so much.
Great, thank you appreciate it.
You were very welcome. I appreciate it a whole lot. When we get back on it be talking with Renee Stacy Welsh. She is with a group called the Franklin Park Defenders. We'll get to her right after the break and we'll find out why they are opposed to this. We'll be back on Nightside and if you'd like to join the conversation, we'll try to get some calls in later. We're going to be talking not only with Renee Stacy Welsh, but also with a different person on the other side
of the issue. After the nine thirty news, coming back on Nightside.
Now back to Dan Ray Live from the Window World night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
We're talking about the White Stadium legal battle, which comes to a head tomorrow in a superior court room here in Boston. Joining us now is Renee Stacey Welsh, a longtime resident of the Franklin Park area, and she's with a group called Franklin Park Defender Stacey. Renee, I should say welcome tonight'satt how are you.
I'm well, Dan, Thank you for having me tonight.
Very welcome. I know it's a big day tomorrow, and I know that the judge today had issued some rulings that the Boston Globe is suggesting the la significant blow to the paintiffs, to the plaintiffs' hopes of stopping the project. Why should this project be stopped? In your opinion as a longtime resident, Renee.
I think this project deserves true community involvement and input. They need to be true transparency in all aspects associated with the development, and I don't think the community at large truly got all of those things right. I think that the as community, as a community, we deserve to have a seat at the table when making these kinds of decisions. We should be able to say and share what we want to see in our Park.
Now, the argument, I guess from your side of the table and also from the other plaintiffs of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, which is a long, very respected organization. Here they claim that Franklin Park was donated to the city but in trust back in nineteen forty seven, and that the trust said that that should be in use, should be used as a public park and recreational land, which
it has been. Is there no way that this be compromised so that they could build a new stadium and allow this professional sports team to play their games there, this women's soccer team play their games there, and yet the park would still become easily accept the entire park as well as the stadium would become easily accessible to the community. Or is this just going to fundamentally change what you know, what the White Stadium Franklin Park area will will be will be going forward.
I think it's going to fundamentally change it. You know, when you think about they're taking up another two acres of land from the existing footprint, so one hundred and something trees are going to be taken down, one hundred and something mature trees. Some would would want you to believe that these trees are severely diseased and we're taking them down. That is not true. And you think they say they're going to build, they're gonna plant five hundred trees.
It takes eighty years for one tree to be beneficial.
Someone once said, when's the best time to plant a tree? It's the answer is yesterday. Why are they taking these trees down? Everybody talks about how that particularly in the
center of major cities, not just Boston. There are plenty of trees in the suburbs, but trees are much more sparse in you know, communities like Dorchester, Roxbury, and somebody will we'll talk about how that those portions of the city, particularly in the summer months June, July, August and September, when the sun is burning its brightest, it can be pretty uncomfortable just walking the streets without some form of cover.
And if you lose all those trees in Franklin Park, that's going to have an impact on a real impact on your community.
Of course, I mean, if you think about it, aside from creating heat islands, let's talk about the respiratory issues that these communities. Dortsche, the Rock, Gray, Mattapan have the worst respiratory issues, and you decide to take down one hundred and forty something trees to build a stadium that it does not need to be that big, if it's truly, in fact, for our kids. You know, they talk about
we're doing this for our kids. You spend one hundred million dollars on one thing versus looking at the kids and what the kids need and spreading that money out for our kids. You know, every time they mentioned kids to me, it does not compute. It doesn't make sense because if it did, they would spend that money differently. They wouldn't be spending it the way they're spending it.
Well, I haven't. I go to Franklin Park quite a bit with my family, but I haven't been inside White Stadium in a long long time. But I'm told that White Stadium has fallen into disrepair and the city has done very little, if anything, to keep it in decent shape for high school football games. Even the facilities are not have have not been kept up to date. Would you agree with that? From you probably know the stadium better, the White Stadium better than I.
So I was born in this community. So from nineteen seventy five until today, I still use that park. You know, I learned how to ride my bike there. You know, we had our family cookouts and get togethers in that park. My uncles were from the Caribbean. They played soccer inside White Stadium. Whether it was raining, it was sunshine, they were in their playing soccer.
We used it.
We used when there was something going on inside. They used that two acres that they're going to be taking to enhance or to expand the size of this footprint. They used to play all along there. Even in the summer months, when it's too hot to walk on the outside, you walk closest to the stadium because the trees keeps it cooler under there. So to your point, yes, they have less Franklin Park. They've left White Stadium to fall in disrepair, and you know, now it's like this is
the only thing we could do. No, it's not the only thing we can do. You know, they're options, and we deserve options as taxpayers, as community people, as people who Franklin Park is the only place that many people have to go for rest. But in the city, they don't have second homes, they're not affluent, so they can't run to the Cape or to Vermont or Maine and go to their second you know, forest treeline property in the suburbs. We don't have that ability, many of us don't.
So our summer home, our place of peace is Franklin Park, and when you take it away for twenty two of the good weekends a year, Dan, that's unfair.
Yeah. So the soccer team will play, I believe, is the beginning in March or April and all the way into October.
Yeah, October, November, And my understanding is.
What happens to the high school football games that will be played in September and October. Can do they use the stadium for high school football games during I can't imagine they use it for high school football games during the week and then also for a women's professional soccer team because football is going to eat up the turf a lot, a lot more than a soccer game will. Is that? Am I wrong on that?
No, you're one hundred and ten percent correct.
They said that the cleats on the cleats on the cleats on football cleats are different, so it is truly to your point, it's going to turf up the turf.
So they do not want football being played there.
So where will the high school football game. Where will high school football games be played if not in white stadium in September?
I would, I would, I would guests who knows?
Right?
You know, they can say that, right, And it's a football steam for kids, right, And you say the kids can't play there. But I think it's important to understand you say it for the kids, but now you're displacing a group of kids.
So well, ask you just another question. You tell me, and you told me earlier that you were born in nineteen seventy five, so you've been there your entire life. This has been integral in your entire life. Give me a sense of how you feel the community has split on this issue. I know that you haven't done a poll of every one of your neighbors, but where's the
sentiment of the community. Because we're going to be talking with a woman who also lives in the areas, I understand that after the nine thirty news here who is on the opposite side of this set circumstance from you? So where where do you feel that the majority of the community within you know, within the proximity of the park sits on this topic.
Well, that's interesting. I you know, I'm I'm down the street from from the park, and some of my neighbors who have children who play soccer, who play sports are against this. Right. Some of my other neighbors that one still don't know about it, are like, well, why would we want that in our community, you know, And as I'm talking to people, I'm saying, well, let's look at this differently because they hear the it's for the kids, but then when you break it down to them, they're like,
that makes no sense. So I think that the people who don't know and you're able to explain, they they're on the side of I don't really agree with that. I need more information, I need to understand more. And I think the ones who are against it are against it because they understand that the the adverse, the adverse
issues that were gonna come with this, I think. Dennison also one of my barometers is look into the comment section and the Globe and listen to the people and the percentage of people that say they don't agree with this. People who have been who lived here for you for decades, they're like, this makes no sense.
So so your sense is that most of your neighbors agree with you, is what I'm.
Hearing you say, I would say so yes.
Okay, well, look, thank you very much. I do appreciate your time tonight. You've been a great spokesperson for the Franklin Park Defenders. Renee Stacy Welsh. In a moment, we'll be talking with a woman named dot Fennel or Finelle, I'm not sure how that's pronounced, and get kind of a different perspective, and then we'll have to see what
the judge does. Certainly, these rulings I think that have come down late tonight on the eve of the beginning of the case in fold tomorrow, probably do not augure very well for your point of view. But you know, keep up the fight and we'll keep in touch with you.
Okay, thank you so much, Dan, have a wonderful night.
Thank you. Renee Cassy Welsh with a group called the Franklin Park Defenders. Back on nightside, right after the news, after the news, and we'll talk to another community member with a different perspective. Back on nightside.
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBS, Boston's news radio.
So we just talked with Renee Stacy Welsh with a group called the Franklin Park Defenders, We're going to talk with Dot Fennel now and we will take some phone calls. We're not going to make Dot answer phone questions, but if you'd like to call, I can get you in after this interview at six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty. Dot welcome. How are you tonight?
I'm doing so good, Dan, It's been quite a day. Unlike Renee, who is a staff member did you know this at the ma Reckless Conservancy, so she is paid to be here. You're talking to a mom at now a quarter of ten o'clock and I have go on from school, take up at the curly, to after school homework, to after school sport activity, to dinner, back home, uh, back bedtime, book clean up, do a little bit more work, and now talking to you. So I mean, this is just like a day in the life of a parent, but.
This would be the best best part of your day. Do let me ask. I'm gonna answer you the same question because trying to God, can you can you hear me?
Robert no, Dot, are you able to hear you?
Trying to have a conversation with you, which is important so that I can create some questions. Thank you very much, appreciate that. So my my question to you is, uh, you live in the neighborhood as I understand that, correct?
I do? Yeah, so used to live on.
Take turn it down. I do this very rarely to a guest. DOT. I'm going to ask you to refrain from attacking Renee personally. Okay, she has a point of view, You have a point of view, bring her back up. What I want to do, Dot, is I want to get your point of view. I'm not interested in you personally attacking her, just as she did not personally attack you. Did you hear the interview I did with Renee by any chance for now?
Yeah? I did hear it.
Did she personally attack you? Did she call into question your motivations or anything like that?
I have lots of really interesting questions about things that are being put forth and the responses. So I hope that we can dig into those.
Well I can. But if you would stop attacking her personally and getting into, you know, what her motivations might be. She did not attack your motivation. So I take it that both of you live in the area. She tells me she's lived there for fifty years. She was born close to Franklin Park. I assume you're story is similar. Are you're a longtime resident as well?
Yeah, we've been here twenty years.
Okay, well that's good. Fifty years, twenty years. Whatever. Do you have a group? Are you speaking as an individual or she has a group called Franklin Park Defenders. I didn't go into great detail with her about that. Do you have an organization that you're representing? Your name was given to us tonight by a representative from Elevate Communications. Do you have a group or are you you hear in your capacity? Just in your capacity as a resident of the area.
Has a response of the of the misinformation that was being put out by the Armald Necklace Conservancy. A group of neighbors came together and suande coalition, which has now grown into beyond just BPS parents, of which there's an almost six hundred support letter. Send it to you as well.
As you don't have to. What is the name of your group?
I mean, there's no formal group. We are supporters of the BPS facility, White Stadium renovation.
Oh fair enough, Okay, that's all.
You know.
It's taken us quite a bit of time just to sort of establish that. That's all I'm trying to do whenever people get involved. I know that there's been some demonstrations opposed to the activity, and I think Renee has been involved in some of those. I assume there probably have been some demonstrations in support of what might happen at White Stadium. Is that correct?
Well?
There has. I mean, we're we are. We have not had as much time to be organized. We don't have the time or the financial backing to be organized. And you're talking to myself as well as another mother who frankly aren't being paid to be here, who are reaching out to after school youth program coordinators, folks who speak on behalf of students other bps.
So what Let me give you what I want you to. I want you to make your case here. So let me ask you the question which might help you support the the demolition of the current stadium, the construction of a new stadium which will be a which will be in part a soccer stadium. Tell us what, tell us why that is good for the community. Tell us tell us why you support it.
So I have a question for you. So I'm happy to hear that you spend a lot of time here at Franklin Park, and I also wanted to ask, do you have.
I go to the zoo that count Oh no, I know that, never never played the golf course, but I do go to the zoo.
So we haven't either. Well, So what I'm trying to get at is that, like, so if I'm speaking parent to parents, and when I look at the BP educators who teach my children every day and all the children across the city and who know my children well, know their job well, I see them working with so little and doing so much, And I couldn't imagine getting in the way of them saying they need something and me coming in as an interloper and saying, oh, no, no, no,
you don't need that. And I look at our BPS athletes, I look at their coaches, I look at their administrators, and I look at the facility team, and I look at the city saying we need a new stadium. This is what we want, what our students want. And so as a BPS parents, I'm seeing what's available to students who are in the suburbs, who have access to facilities, and I'm seeing students who are being asked reform with facilities that are subpak. So as a parent, I want better facilities for my kids.
So my under standing and by the way, I'm a Boston Public School graduate, Boston Latin School. I played sportscast Latin school baseball in Howe we played in some you know, you know facilities there's many years ago, in the last century.
So however, my question is my understanding is that some of the people who are opposed to it feel that White Stadium will be used by the women's professional soccer team from the spring until sometime in either late October or early November, and that football games, which have traditionally been where Boston Public School teams play football, will be off limits to the students during the you know, the months of the early months of the football season September October.
If I'm being given incorrect information on that, please correct me.
Well, I think if you want to get the exact specifics from the city on how many games are happening, then you would need to call the project team. But it's my understanding that they're going to be able to host. I think it was up to like five teams and like ten aims, and yes, they do have to and it's between different sports. So is there going to be some adjustment? Yes, is there going to be some sort
of scheduling happening. Of course there is, and this this constant like, well, we can't do anything because mentality you're making, you're making a speech.
I'm just simply asking you the question. What Renee said to me. I asked her the question. I had heard it before.
Yeah, it's about football, it's about football.
But let me say, could I finish the question? Because your weren't response to the questions you're making this This is not intended to be a contentious interview. Trust me, I know on both sides, and I had a pretty easy conversation with Renee. It hasn't been as easy with you, and let me be can it with you? I just am trying to give you the opportunity to answer the
questions that are out there. My understanding is that the Boston Students football teams will not have access to the stadium during the season when the women's professional soccer team is playing, which is understandable. Okay, yeah, I just wanted to find out from you. If you have not heard that, just tell me you haven't heard it and we can move on.
But the thing is is that this is not just a black and white issue. So do you have a sense. Yeah, so who gets to play football? It is boys between the ages of seven to twelve three, So off the bat, it's a support a sport that's not serving the children from K zero all the way up to twelve. And so what I would love for my city is to be thinking, Okay, so moving forward, here's where we're at. How can we meet the current needs of our football program.
I think there's an shoot as the city. I think there's like seven teams, seven programs, but then over here and I don't want to come from football soccer, that's not fair. But I think like a twenty five plus growing things. What I want to see is a city at saying let's do both. So the football while this has happened, is currently playing at Clemente which is in Sunway and Clifford down in the South End. So it's not as if the city is the.
One in Clifford is the one that has been strewn with hypodermic needles.
I know I've talked to yeah, which is like also a challenge yeah forward for both.
Yeah, okay, last question, and I got to be very quick on this one, so okay, you know, as I understand it, and if it's true, great, If it isn't, set me correct, My understanding is about one hundred and forty five mature trees that are going to be cut down.
Oh goodness, okay, so that accurate?
Is that accurate?
No? Okay?
So again, my trees would be cut down, if.
Any I'm up the town order. But do you know what the city considers to be on paper a mature tree?
Well, I assume a mature tree. At least the trees that I'm familiar with are probably probably at least fifty or sixty years old. I'm not an arborist either. Yeah, I'm told that one and one hundred and forty five trees.
Okay, we'll be cut down.
And all I'm asking is that number correct?
It's not stands while I got involved, So hoy, how.
Many are there any trees going to be cut down?
Man? It's three inches? So you get to three inches really quick. And if you walk around that stadium.
What's three inches? What are you referring to?
So three inch? Three inch diameter is what the city considers to be a mature tree. So like there's like a certain crop by which they lost things.
So okay, again, here's the thing dark. You tried to make speeches and I'm going to cut it off. I hate to do this to you, but I'm way past my commercial break. I gave You've got more time than the other side. I wish you had been more responsor to my questions. But I thank you for being here tonight. Nonetheless. Uh and perhaps we'll talk again. Have a have a good evening, and best of luck in court when this
case convenes tomorrow. Okay, thank you, take care, good night. Okay, if you'd like to call in and comment, I'll give you an opportunity. One gentleman, Derek and Roxbury has been holding on. Derek, you're going to be first on the other side. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine three ten thirty Bruins just lost in overtime to the Flo Sabers. The season is kind of slipping away. We'll be back on Night's side right after this.
Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World night Sight Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Well, I've had an interesting hour. We haven't talked to any callers yet, so let's try to get as many folks in as we can between now and ten o'clock, we will talk, we will change topics. I'm prepared to go a little bit into the next hour if you're interested. Again, I think it's a very interesting issue. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one, seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. Derek is the most patient man of the night. Derek, welcome,
You've been holding on for a while. Go right ahead.
Thanks. Thanks. I just want to say thank you for this, and I think you've asked some really good questions and it's good to see local media do so. In responsible. One of the questions that you asked about the division and the well, let me tell you who I am.
My name is Derek. I arrived in Boston from Mississippi, do a ten Boston College, and I work my way through BC in the eighties with him arborist who had grown up in Chestnut Hill, and we did a lot of work on private Omsted designed properties in Brookline and Newton in that area because of course there are many that's home itself in the Gardener Place now.
The Arboretum, the Olmsted Necklace.
Yeah, and in ninety two I became a twenty five year rarity in the Boston Public schools. I was a twenty five year old African American, a Native American teacher of American history and social studies at the Phyllis Wheatley Middle School, which has since been closed.
I thought their friends.
Right, right, right, So uh, you know, I've been aware of and familiar, and I also moved to Roxbury. I permanently adopted Roxbury where I am now in ninety two as a homeowner and a small landlord owner in a concentrated little area across the street from another so called homestead legacy park called Malcolm X Park. And last year not unlike now, oh, I guess find that I should say, I'm also in front England Park defender and in full disclosure.
And this is really my second rodeo unfortunately in the last three years with the city over a park quote
unquote improvement project in Roxbury. Now White Stadium is located in Franklin Park and Franklin Park, as a matter of a historical accident, has spent you know, the last let's say eighty years, seventy five years, segregated for most of that time in sort of the same red lined area of the city of Boston as most of it's black and brown residents right and likewise has been disinvested in neglected.
And on the one hand, it is or should be good news to see that the city or anyone else is interested in investing large sums of capital in the area. But when it comes to Olmstead's Crown Jewel, which is three hundred and fifty degrees by state map, highly concentrated environmental justice census tracks, which have all of this long list of social inequity indicators, the question is whether or not that sudden and new investment in the area is a giver or a grab.
And Derek, let me do this. You've been very patient, You've been on a long time on hold in your opinion. Is it a giver or a grab? Because I think you have outlined your experience and outlined the circumstances of that community for many years. I grew up in Boston, so I'm very familiar. Yeah, played a lot of sports in Weisby Dorchester as a kid. Is it a giver a grab? As far as your concern, well.
Thank you for asking me to that. And while I can understand those who think that it's a give, there are reasons that I understand them. I say it's a grab because what you're losing here is a public equity, which is I think something that the previous your first Talk interview, he was saying versus you know, one time a private opportunities for things like jobs, contracts, what have you.
I think what I bothered, to be really honest with the de What bothers me the most is the the fact that the football you know, I you know, I never played football in high school. I was baseball and hockey. But the football guys who I went to school with at Boston Latin School, you know, September and October. I mean, that was the football season and then you know, it's all over by Thanksgiving Day. And that's that is what concerns me a little bit as.
To you know, yeah, you know, who's going to happen.
Yeah, go ahead, I only got a minute left. And I hate to crunch you here, but go ahead, I'll give you the final minute.
Well, I think you and your listeners will appreciate this. I mean, Fragua Park is an Olmsted part right, which is by definition, I mean, by definition, it's a meeting place of urban and democratic social goods right uh in nature, and it doesn't. I mean, whether that's the floor of the fauna, of the geology, you know the pudding.
Everybody knows that, Yeah, go ahead, right right.
Well, as a result, it's not a place, it's not a place of displacement. So if football or some other thing that's been here is here now just needs to be reinvested and supported and continued, is being displaced or stands the threat of being displaced, you have to slow down the process and ask the stakeholders their questions and
respond to their questions, not just feed them. You know this really great, big idea that looks Listen, after eighty years of disinvestment, like in a desert, it's going to be very hard to mistake or to tell for a lot of people the difference between cold water and cold say camel urine, because.
I hate on that point, Derek, But you waited thirty minutes, but I've flat out a time. We'll we'll deal with this, I'm sure in the future. I very much appreciate your perspective, uh and your experience, and I think it's pretty clear on what side of the issue you come down. So thank you so much. I wish I had more time for you. I really, I really do. Thanks. Thanks, thank you again, Derek appreciated. Keep listening to night Side. I'll
tell you what I'm going to do, folks. I'm going to give people an opportunity if they want to call in. I'll take this into the ten o'clock howa. Uh, that is my decision. If you want to participate, you got to jump on real quickly. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty.
Uh.
If there's no interest, we're going to move on to a different topic. We'll be back on Nightside after this.
It's night Side with Dan Ray.
I'm telling you easy Boston's news video.
All right, we have talked for an hour with a couple of perspectives on what's going on at White Stadium. As I mentioned, the judge in this case issued some decisions today on some motions which would seem to undercut the the f for the plaintiffs to stop the city from continuing to take down White Stadium and build a new women's professional sports stadium. But that court activity we'll commence in the morning. We did speak with Gayla Colly of The Boston Herald, as well as Renee Stacey Wells
with a group called the Franklin Park Defenders. They were opposed to the destruction of White Stadium and the construction of a women's soccer stadium. And also we spoke with a woman named Dot Finel who described herself as a parent who was in favor of the changes. So we're going to get to phone calls and invite people to continue the conversation. We can continue it for a little while and move on to something else. They do want to talk about the deportations that went on over the
weekend and the controversy around it. But let's start with the callers who have called in. If you'd like to join the conversation talking about White Stadium, It's future or lack thereof six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. Here comes Michael and Aliborough. Michael, you've held through the news. We appreciate it. You're next on night, said we're talking about White Stadium.
Hey, Dan, how are you?
I'm doing just great? What's your thoughts?
I raised, I was raised. I grew up right down the street from the park. It was a little tough in the sixties to go there. Yeah, I'm one hundred and twenty percent with a gentleman who called early. I think he was before the news.
I think he was Derek.
I think he was African American. And that's what this is.
This is a money grab. As soon as I heard Henry.
Being involved, this is a money grab.
Well, she's not well for let me just be clear, John Henry was not directly involved. His wife, Linda Pizzuti, was one of the investors. Uh and she uh. And I understand some others have have left the group. It may be in part because of that controversy. But just you know, I just want to be fair to everyone here, go right.
Ahead, Okay, it's a money grab. It's a money grab. But trees are taken down, must be parking, right.
Well, the trees that were taken down, as I understand, are trees that are you know, mature, eighty year old trees. And it's one hundred and forty five trees that were taken down. And you know, they talk about the the urban deserts and how that there's lack of foliage and trees, and not only in Boston but in other American cities,
and I think there that's legitimate. So but I had a tough interview with the we we lined up another representative with dot Fennel just trying to get I was trying to just give her the opportunity to pres that well it was it was tough, so but hey, that's the way it happens. And I didn't want her attacking.
M me put it a different way. Yeah, okay, on the other side of the thing, that the African America, I'm a white guy, right.
Yeah, I don't know that he was African American. His name was Derek from Roxbury. He said that he lived in the community. He did not identify to the recollection. So just what it doesn't matter. His point of view was his point of view.
What's your comment the same thing.
That's what he was getting at the display from the people.
Who waited thirty forty.
Fifty years to be able to use.
That park without any problem.
Now they're coming in. If Hann me or anybody wants to get on the board, give the football players five grand every time they play or something.
I mean, you know, the football.
Well, what my concern is, and I was trying to, you know, square this out, is that the women's soccer schedule, as I understand that runs from late March or early April that they play, you know, once a week whatever. And they're not like baseball that's playing every other every day. They're not like hockey or basketball, which is playing eighty two games all over the course of the winter. So
they're playing maybe two three times a week. Soccer, professional soccer, I think is oftentimes a weekend sport from what I see, and it's you know, a week between games and all of that. So it's kind of like football in that regard. But this season runs into October early November, and the stadium cannot be used weekdays by the football kids voting.
I don't know if they play there, but you remember Latin English well that you.
Know, Latin English was always played at Harvard Stadium.
Okay, on Thanksgimming, I mean that was that was That's that's legendary, like.
Saint Patrick's says, legendary over in the.
South all I got you down, I got you down is the resident.
But another way, real quick, they wouldn't.
Have gone near there thirty forty years ago.
They would have been scared to I.
Don't look yeah, look, I mean let's deal with today. There's the zoo has been there a long time. I've gone in and out of there. People love playing the golf course. Tom and Nino, the former mayor, used to that was the course that he loved to play, so uh yeah, I mean look, bottom line is the area has gotten a little bit better, which is great, as have a number of you know, uh communities in the Boston area. So let's let's hope it continues. Michael appreciated.
I hope you all is well in Attleborough with you.
Yeah, thank you, Bye bye.
Bye bye. Let's keep rolling here, going to get Melissa in Jamaica. Plane, Melissa, you are next on Nisaka right ahead.
Oh hi yan, thanks for having me on TI calling in.
Yeah, class cat, go right.
Ahead, all right, thank you. Feel right at home now. Yeah. I just want to just say that what we see happening in Franklin Park is really disturbing. When I first heard about this project, this partnership between the city and the professional women's soccer team, I was really kind of excited about it. It was something intrigued me because I love watching soccer. I want to support women's sports and
empowered girls. But the devil was in the detail, and as I started to attend the White Stadium meetings, the Zoom meetings, what I realized was we were really getting hung out to dry, not only the taxpayers, but the students especially. And every time I heard more from this city about how they were promising us that there was going to be a great project, they couldn't have they
didn't back it up. And when they saw that the cost balloon from fifty million to one hundred million, it just became really clear to me that this was a bad deal for Boston, a bad deal for the kids, a bad deal for the community.
And I think it's now actually, if I'm not mistaken, isn't it two hundred million? I think the city is in for one hundred and the soccer team is in for a hundred.
Yeah, and it's only going to go up. I mean, let's face it, with the tariffs and the skyrocketing costs of construction, the taxpayer is going to be on the hook for a lot more than one hundred million dollars.
And I'm a little surprised that the judge allowed the demolition of the stadium to start two or three weeks before the court case started.
Yeah, that's unfortunate. From what I understand the judge that ruled that there there wasn't the injunction, there was no need for injunction was probably she made some wrong assumptions about well.
It would it would indicate to me that that that the judge might have a predisposition. I don't know the judge. He's experienced judge at district court and recently appointed to supirit Court. I have no question. I'm not questioning motivations, but it just seems to me that if you allowed the construction of a facility to begin, uh, and the question that is before is really the survival of that facility or the replacement of the facility? Joy until the trial.
But it's actually two different judges. There was there was a judge that ruled against the injunction.
The okay, then thank you, thank you for that clarification. Then I still don't understand why when there's a case, I do not understand why a judge in a situation like that. I know that one of the arguments on a temporary injunction is always the likelihood of the party that's requesting the injunction to prevail. That's one element of it,
and then it's called irreparable damages. Well, certainly, if you're going to take half the stadium down and a couple of one hundred and fifty trees, there is irreparable damage. That would indicate to me that the judge probably felt that the first judge who did not grant the injunction, did they ever appeal that and take that up?
You know, no, they did not appeal that. But the court case is still pending, so the actual trial it's starting tomorrow, will decide the merits, the legal merits.
No, but what I'm saying, But what I'm saying is what are the chances the judge who's now and again I apologized, I thought it would have been the same judge, But that's that's my mistake. Thank you for the correction. What are the chances that the judge is likely to rule in favor of the opponents if half the stadium has been knocked down? I don't understand.
Well, it's certainly, it certainly is not a good look for public opinion. And that's and that's unfortunate. And because you know, ideally, you know, justice should be heard fairly, right, we should both sides should be able to present their case fairly, and by having the demolition go forward. It really it's exactly.
I mean, if this was an eminent domain case and there were people saying, we don't want our houses to be knocked down, and and and we case is.
Heard in the Southwest.
Right, You're a Bostonian, so that's that's something we all both know what the Southwest Corridor is. Hey, look, Melissa, I appreciate your weighing in. I'm past my break, so I got to jump. Thank you so much for calling for the first time tonight, and we'll continue to follow the story. Thank you so much.
Yeah, thank you so much.
Thanks Melissa, I have a great night. Good night. All right, we're going to change topics. I am not going to drag a topic out when we come back. We're going to talk about the deportations and all the controversy around it. The administration's decision to invoke the Alien and Seditions Act, the Alien Enemies Act, which is an act from the from seventeen ninety eight seventeen ninety eight, the Alien Enemies Act.
I think that the administration, I think the Administration needs to get this clarified, and I would hope that the Supreme Court would jump in here and take the case, and hear the case. We're going to talk about that. I've watched some of the videos of this prison where these are so called terrorists, and they are they're bad people. MS thirteen members, and apparently the Trump administration cut a
deal with the president of Al Salvador. And I got to tell you, I'm a due process guy, but I'm probably going to tell you that I think that the Trump administration is doing the right thing here. All of my libertarian friends are going to be howling with dismay, but you can feel make the arguments. I think I understand them. Let's keep the conversation going, but we're going to change conversation six one, seven, two, five, four ten
thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. If you have strong thoughts on the deportations of the people that the Trump administration has characterized as terrorists, I think the first thing we need to do is to talk about who these people are and then go from there. We'll start that conversation right after this break on Nightside