A group that opposes the city of Boston’s ongoing plan to renovate White Stadium in a deal with a women’s pro soccer franchise say they will file an appeal of an April court ruling that allowed the project to move forward.
“We will continue to mobilize in defense of Franklin Park because the current plan is not right for Franklin Park, for the communities that surround it, or for Boston’s kids,” said Jean McGuire, a Roxbury resident and plaintiff in the case.
McGuire and several other neighbors joined with the non-profit Emerald Necklace Conservancy (ENC) to bring a lawsuit last year that sought to block the stadium project. On April 2, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Mathew Nestor ruled in favor of the city and the team, Boston Legacy.
The appeal contends that Nestor’s ruling was flawed and left key arguments unresolved, including opponents’ claims that alternative plans for a cheaper stadium renovation were not considered.
Pro-stadium supporters Dot Fennell and Beth Santos said the plaintiffs should drop their appeal. “Boston Public School kids need partners, not lawsuits,” they wrote in a statement to The Reporter. “ENC should drop this baseless fight and put its millions where its mission is – into the park, not the courtroom.”
