The proposed pitch on American Legion Highway to accommodate soccer and softball for the Edward Brooke Charter School has been a point of contention for the former Mattapan State Hospital Community Advisory Committee (CAC) since last fall, and some neighbors at Harvard Commons said their opposition is being unfairly cast as “elitist.”
The four-acre site was to house an urban garden years ago when Lena New Boston secured development rights, but that use became less pressing and the idea of an athletic field in cooperation with nearby Brooke emerged. Since last fall, the CAC and neighbors have been discussing the athletic field, with a very testy discussion at last month’s meeting where some called for an immediate vote on the change of use, and others asked to slow things down. The measure was postponed but could come up for a vote as soon as this week.
Aalana Feaster, a member of the Harvard Commons Neighborhood Association, said her association has voted against the soccer field on two occasions. Feaster said she is being cast by some as a “lone voice” against the field, and while some at Harvard Commons have said they have changed their minds on the issue, it is certainly not everyone, she said.
“I want to make it clear it’s not just me – Aalana Feaster,” she said. “The majority of homeowners, 76 percent, both times have voted against this project…Community involvement is very important. You have people that want to be part of the process and want a voice and a seat at the table and that didn’t happen with this proposal.”
Several neighbors at Harvard Commons voiced frustrations in an interview with the Reporter last week, saying they agree with Feaster and have questions about the field on topics ranging from environment to tree canopy loss to lighting.
“I don’t want to be made to feel like an elitist because I don’t want the field here,” said Jessica Spruill, along with her husband, Darien. “They want to put it in our backyard and take away the few trees we have…We’ve had trash and litter problems, and things stolen, just things I didn’t experience or notice when we first moved here. I’m totally against having a soccer field. My son plays sports, so I understand, but I don’t feel a field of that size should be in the neighborhood. There are other places to put it…For us to be called elitist and trying to live peacefully in our own homes, that’s not true at all.”
Added neighbor Nancy Aleo, who is particularly concerned about wetlands at the field site: “A soccer field is really a marketing tool for a private school…I find it rather insulting the school is doing this.”
A point of contention beyond the environmental concerns has been why the Brooke hasn’t pursued using fields at Harambee Park/Franklin Field or Franklin Park. Neighbors say both appear to be empty, and they wonder why Brooke students can’t practice and play home games on those facilities. Brooke officials have previously said they have tried to get in touch with city permitting officials and haven’t been successful over several years. Many times, in fact, it is hard to secure new field permits for frequent use at facilities that may already be reserved at key times.
Neighbors, however, said the permitting disconnect shouldn’t be their problem.
“I believe at some level it’s hard to get permitting, but I do not think that’s an insurmountable challenge,” said Dorothee Alsentzer, a St. Mark’s Dorchester resident who has gotten involved in the discussion due to environmental concerns. “I agree student-athletes at any high school need access to athletic fields. I call on [the Brooke] and the people at the city to get with it. It can’t be that hard to find a solution other than a four-acre heat island on a wetland.”
Feaster concluded that time is of the essence because an affirmative vote is forever.
“Once they vote it in, the language says, ‘in perpetuity,’” she said. “Once we have it, it can’t be anything other than that.”
The Boston State Hospital CAC was scheduled to meet this Thursday (April 21), with an item on the agenda denoting a vote on the soccer field would be taken.
