2026-09-24 - Human Services Committee

00:47GOOD MORNING.

00:48FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS ERIN

00:50MURPHY AT LARGE CITY

00:52COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR

00:53OF THE BOSTON CITY

00:54COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HUMAN

00:57SERVICES.

00:57TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 24TH AND THE

00:59EXACT TIME IS 10:04 A.M..

01:03THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED.

01:05IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE

01:07[email protected] BACKSLASH

01:09CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND

01:12BROADCAST ON ITS FINITY CHANNEL

01:13EIGHT, RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS

01:17CHANNEL 964.

01:19WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO

01:20THE COMMITTEE EMAIL.

01:22AT SEEK DHS AT BOSTON KNOCK UP

01:26AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE

01:27RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL

01:28COUNCILORS.

01:30PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN

01:32AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.

01:34INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON

01:35IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY

01:36SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO

01:38MINUTES TO TESTIFY.

01:39IF YOU'RE HERE IN PERSON AND

01:41INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING, YOU

01:43CAN SIGN IN AT THE SIGN IN

01:45SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE

01:47CHAMBER.

01:48IF YOU ARE LISTENING IN AND YOU

01:51WANT TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY, YOU

01:53CAN EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF

01:55LIAISON MEGAN KAVANAGH AT M E G

01:59H A N DOT CAV AND A G

02:04[email protected] FOR THE LINK AND

02:05YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE

02:07LIST.

02:09TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET

02:121335.

02:12ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS

02:14THE STATUS OF THE BLACKSTONE

02:16POOL AND AN INDEPENDENT

02:18ENGINEERING STUDY ON REPAIRS.

02:21THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY

02:23COUNCILORS ED FLYNN, JOHN

02:25FITZGERALD AND MINYARD CULPEPER

02:27AND WAS REFERRED TO THE

02:28COMMITTEE ON JULY 8TH 2026.

02:33TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY

02:35COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL

02:37COUNCILOR FLYNN AND.

02:41HOPEFULLY MORE COLLEAGUES WILL

02:42SHOW UP.

02:43I KNOW THAT WE.

02:44HAD INVITED THE ADMINISTRATION

02:48OBVIOUSLY TO BE HERE TO DISCUSS

02:49THIS IMPORTANT MATTER BACK AT

02:52THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH ON

02:54NOVEMBER 2ND, BRIAN FORD,

02:57EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

02:58OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FOR

02:59BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MARY

03:01SKIPPER, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE

03:02BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MARTA

03:05RIVERA, THE COMMISSIONER,

03:06BOSTON CENTERS FOR YOUTH AND

03:08FAMILY WAS SENT BACK ON

03:10SEPTEMBER 2ND INVITES.

03:13UM UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO

03:14ONE HERE FROM THE

03:16ADMINISTRATION YET.

03:17MAYBE THEY WILL SHOW UP

03:18HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE AS THE

03:20MEETING GOES ON.

03:21BUT WHILE WE WAIT FOR OUR

03:23COMMUNITY PANEL I'M GOING TO

03:25HAND IT OFF TO THE LEAD SPONSOR

03:29COUNCILOR FLYNN.

03:32THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR

03:34SHARING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING

03:36.

03:36THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR CULPEPER

03:39,COUNCILOR FITZGERALD FOR

03:40JOINING ME AS CO-SPONSORS ON

03:43THIS HEARING ORDER AND AS

03:44FELLOW SOUTH END CITY

03:47COUNCILORS AS WELL.

03:51LET ME JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT

03:53OF HISTORY OF THE BLACKSTONE

03:55SCHOOL AND WHERE IT'S LOCATED.

03:58IF I MAY, THE BLACKSTONE SCHOOL

04:02IS LOCATED ALMOST IN THE HEART

04:04OF THE SOUTH END.

04:06IT'S LOCATED NEXT DIAGONAL TO

04:10THE CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS

04:12CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET UM

04:16BASICALLY FROM RUTH BARCLAY

04:19APARTMENTS WHICH IS THE OLD

04:22CATHEDRAL APARTMENTS.

04:23IT'S ALSO ACROSS THE STREET AS

04:26WELL FROM VILLA VICTORIA WHICH

04:30IS PREDOMINANTLY A PUERTO RICAN

04:34UM AND IN ASIAN COMMUNITY UM

04:38THE RUTH BERKELEY APARTMENTS

04:41VHA APARTMENTS IS PREDOMINANTLY

04:45UM BLACK AND LATINO.

04:48ALSO UP THE ROAD A BIT IS

04:49CASTLE SQUARE WHICH IS ANOTHER

04:52LOW INCOME RESIDENTIAL

04:55COMMUNITY THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY

04:59A ASIAN COMMUNITY.

05:00IT'S WALKING DISTANCE TO

05:03ROXBURY ROXBURY AS WELL AND IN

05:07WALKING DISTANCE TO CHINATOWN.

05:09I HIGHLIGHTED THE DEMOGRAPHICS

05:12IN AND AROUND THE BLACKSTONE

05:14SCHOOL BLACKSTONE POOL BECAUSE

05:17I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT I DO

05:19THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO

05:21ACKNOWLEDGE AND KNOW WHERE IT'S

05:22AT.

05:23IT'S SURROUNDED BY COMMUNITIES

05:25OF COLOR.

05:28AND I FELT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO

05:30BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S ONE

05:32OF THE ONLY PUBLIC SWIMMING

05:36POOLS THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR

05:38AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN

05:40THE HEART OF THE BLACK

05:43COMMUNITY IN BOSTON.

05:45HISTORICALLY, THE HEART OF THE

05:46BLACK COMMUNITY IN BOSTON WAS

05:48ALWAYS THE SOUTH END IN

05:49ROXBURY.

05:52WE ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN.

05:56PEOPLE DROWNED TRAGICALLY

05:58DROWNED MANY OF THEM OR A HIGH

06:01PERCENTAGE OF OF THEM ARE

06:02PEOPLE OF COLOR.

06:06MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS

06:09TO SWIMMING LESSONS.

06:12THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THIS IS A

06:14CRITICAL ISSUE FOR BLACKSTONE

06:17STUDENTS FOR SOUTH AND IN

06:21ROXBURY RESIDENTS FOR LOW

06:23INCOME RESIDENTS I BELIEVE THIS

06:27IS A RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUE TO

06:30HAVE A VACANT SWIMMING POOL IN

06:34THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITIES

06:36OF COLOR AND TO LEAVE IT

06:38UNFIXED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD

06:40OF TIME IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.

06:48I KNOW OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE

06:51BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

06:53AND THE BOSTON CENTER OF YOUTH

06:55AND FAMILIES WERE INVITED TODAY

06:59TO THIS IMPORTANT HEARING.

07:04I DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL, BUT

07:05I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE

07:08ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION NOT

07:09TO SEND ANYONE TO TODAY'S

07:12HEARING DUE TO A SCHEDULING

07:15CONFLICT.

07:17FOR TRANSPARENCY, THIS PUBLIC

07:21HEARING WAS NOTICED WHICH MEANS

07:24IT WAS POSTED ON WEDNESDAY

07:27SEPTEMBER 2ND AT 125.

07:30INVITATIONS WENT OUT

07:31IMMEDIATELY TO CITY OFFICIALS

07:34INVITING THEM ON HOW WE CAN

07:36WORK TOGETHER, HOW WE CAN

07:38COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, HOW WE

07:41CAN FIX A SWIMMING POOL IN THE

07:44HEART OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

07:47THEIR IMPORTANCE IS CRITICAL.

07:52SEVERAL DAYS AGO ON FRIDAY.

07:58BP'S.

08:01WAS NOTIFIED APPARENTLY OR THE

08:04RED SOX WERE NOTIFIED

08:06APPARENTLY THAT THERE WOULD BE

08:08A PUBLIC EVENT AT THE SAME

08:11SCHOOL WE'RE TRYING TO FIX

08:12WHERE THE BOSTON RED SOX WOULD

08:14COME TO THE BLACKSTONE SCHOOL

08:16FOR SOME INFRASTRUCTURE WORK

08:19AND AND FOR A CELEBRATION.

08:24THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY WANTED

08:28ME AT THE EVENT BECAUSE I SPENT

08:31A LOT OF TIME AT THE BLACKSTONE

08:32SCHOOL.

08:33I HAVE A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP

08:34WITH THEM, BUT I HAD TO TELL

08:38THEM I COULDN'T BE THERE

08:39BECAUSE I'M SHARING THIS

08:41IMPORTANT MEETING AND THEY SAID

08:44,WELL ED, YOU'VE HAD THIS

08:46MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THE

08:47LONGEST PERIOD OF TIME.

08:49WHY WOULD THE CITY OF BOSTON,

08:52UM, SCHEDULE A MEETING ON THE

08:54BLACKSTONE SCHOOL AT THE SAME

08:56TIME?

08:58WHY WHY WOULD WHY WOULD THE

09:00CITY OF BOSTON SCHEDULE A AN

09:02EVENT WITH THE BOSTON RED SOX

09:04AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU ARE AS

09:06YOU ARE HEARING?

09:11THIS FRUSTRATION ALL AROUND ON

09:13THIS DECISION?

09:16BUT WHO GETS HURT IS THE

09:18RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END.

09:21THEY DON'T DESERVE THIS.

09:25IF THE ADMINISTRATION HAD

09:27PRIORITIZED A RED SOX EVENT AT

09:29THE BLACKSTONE SCHOOL THE VERY

09:31SAME SCHOOL AND POOL WE ARE

09:33HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS, THEY

09:36SHOULD HAVE MADE TIME TO SHOW

09:37UP AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT

09:40THE CLOSURE AND THE IMPACT IT'S

09:42HAVING ON THE COMMUNITY.

09:46IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN

09:47SCHEDULED FOR THIS STATE FOR

09:49THIS TIME KNOWING THAT THIS IS

09:51ALREADY SCHEDULED.

09:53IT'S DISRESPECTFUL.

09:54THEY CAN BE DISRESPECTFUL TO

09:57ME BUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE

09:58DISRESPECTFUL TO COMMUNITIES

10:00OF COLOR.

10:01I'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS IN

10:02THE SOUTH END IN ROXBURY WERE

10:05PLANNING TO TESTIFY TO EXPRESS

10:06THEIR FRUSTRATION REGARDING THE

10:09CLOSURE OF THE POOL OVER THE

10:12OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS SO

10:15MANY RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT

10:18TO ME AND SAID AND SAID LET'S

10:20WORK TOGETHER SO WE CAN REOPEN

10:22THIS.

10:22MAYBE IT TAKES AN INDEPENDENT

10:27ENGINEERING STUDY TO GET IT

10:28DONE.

10:31WE ALSO KNOW THAT.

10:35WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE

10:36BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER IN

10:37THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL POOL,

10:40AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, HAS

10:42HISTORICALLY SERVED COMMUNITIES

10:43OF COLOR IN THE SOUTH END IN

10:44ROXBURY COURTING THE RESIDENTS

10:47OF VILLA VICTORIA, BHP GROUP

10:51PARK AND RUTH BARCLAY

10:52APARTMENTS.

10:53IT'S BEEN CLOSED INDEFINITELY

10:55DUE TO STRUCTURAL ISSUES.

10:59A DETERIORATED POOL SHELL DRAIN

11:01LINE FAILURE AND GROUNDWATER

11:03INTRUSION OF THE 18 POOLS

11:06OPERATED BY BCF NINE WILL CLOSE

11:09THE SUMMER OF 2025,

11:12SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITING ACCESS

11:13TO SWIM LESSONS IN RECREATIONAL

11:16WATER ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE

11:18VITAL FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY,

11:19HEALTH, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND

11:23THE SUMMER OF 2026.

11:2516 OF THE 18 POOLS HAVE SINCE

11:27REOPENED WITH THE EXCEPTION

11:30OF THE BLACKSTONE POOL AND THE

11:31MIRA MIRABELLA POOL AS WELL.

11:36WHEREAS THE JUSTICE FOR THE

11:38RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END IN

11:40ROXBURY AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS

11:43A RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUE.

11:45THE CITY OF BOSTON'S FY 27 531

11:49CAPITAL PLAN INCLUDES $500,000

11:52FOR THE BLACKSTONE SCHOOL

11:54STUDY, WHICH WILL DETERMINE THE

11:55SCOPE OF MAJOR RENOVATIONS AT

11:58THE SCHOOL AND POOL.

12:00A COMPLETE RENOVATION WILL TAKE

12:02YEARS TO COMPLETE.

12:03DOES THAT MEAN.

12:07THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A POOL

12:09OPENED AT THE BLACKSTONE?

12:11FROM WHAT I AM TOLD, THE ONLY

12:13WAY A POOL CAN OPEN AT THE

12:16BLACKSTONE IS IF A NEW SCHOOL

12:19IS BUILT.

12:21I'M NOT CONFIDENT A NEW SCHOOL

12:23IS GOING TO BE BUILT THERE.

12:25I'M ASKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT

12:27STUDY.

12:30IN HOW WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE

12:33RESOURCES TO FIX THE CURRENT

12:35BLACKSTONE SWIMMING POOL.

12:38I DON'T THINK WE CAN WAIT.

12:41I THINK IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY

12:42ISSUE.

12:43I THINK IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH

12:45ISSUE.

12:46I ALSO BELIEVE IT'S A RACIAL

12:49JUSTICE ISSUE.

12:52THIS POOL CLOSURE CONTINUES TO

12:55WORSEN DISPARITIES IN EXPOSURE

12:57TO HOTTER SUMMERS AND DENIES

12:59ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR

13:02COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND

13:04IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS.

13:08IN JUNE 2026, THE CITY

13:10COUNCIL HELD A HEARING ON THE

13:12OVERALL CONDITION OF THE BCF

13:14POOLS.

13:15WE HAVE INFORMED THE BODY THAT

13:18REOPENING THE BLACKSTONE WOULD

13:21REQUIRE A FULL EXCAVATION TO

13:24UNDERSTAND THE FULL SCOPE

13:25OF DAMAGE AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS

13:28TO BCBS BLACKSTONE.

13:33AND CLOSING.

13:35I WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED THE

13:36CITY ADMINISTRATION BP'S TO

13:40HAVE PRIORITIZED A PUBLIC

13:42HEARING ON THE STATUS OF THE

13:44BLACKSTONE SWIMMING POOL FOR MY

13:47CONSTITUENTS, MANY OF THEM

13:51COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, MANY

13:53OF THEM AFRICAN AMERICAN,

13:55HISPANIC, ASIAN LIVING IN THE

13:59SOUTH END, LIVING IN ROXBURY.

14:03THIS IS ABOUT SOCIAL, ECONOMIC

14:05AND RACIAL JUSTICE.

14:08IT'S CRITICAL WE PROVIDE THIS

14:10IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR

14:12COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN

14:13NEIGHBORS IN PUBLIC HOUSING TO

14:16BE HEARD AND RESPECTED ON THE

14:20CLOSURE OF THE POOL, LET ME ASK

14:24IF THIS WAS IN ANOTHER

14:25NEIGHBORHOOD, A WEALTHIER

14:27NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD THIS HAVE

14:31BEEN ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE FOR

14:32AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME?

14:36BUT BECAUSE IT'S SURROUNDED BY

14:37ROUTE BERKELEY DEVELOPMENT IT'S

14:40SURROUNDED BY VILLA VICTORIA

14:43CASTLE SQUARE IS UP THE ROAD UM

14:45NOT A FAR A SHORT WALKING

14:48DISTANCE TO ROXBURY.

14:49DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEIR VOICE

14:52IS LESS IMPORTANT?

14:56DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY'RE

14:57INSIGNIFICANT?

14:59THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE

15:01WE WANT SWIMMING SO WE CAN

15:03PROVIDE THEM VERTICAL SWIMMING

15:05LESSONS AND EXERCISE IN LIVING

15:09A PHYSICAL LIVING A GOOD HEALTH

15:11HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?

15:13I ALSO KNOW SENIORS WANT TO USE

15:15THE SWIMMING POOL AS WELL AT

15:17NIGHTTIME THEY SAY TO ME AND WE

15:20WE LOVE SWIMMING BECAUSE IT'S

15:23GOOD FOR OUR BODIES.

15:24IT DOESN'T HAVE THE PUNISHMENT

15:27UM ON OUR JOINTS AND MUSCLES IN

15:29A SWIMMING POOL AND IN ED WHEN

15:32CAN WE OPEN UP THE BLACKSTONE

15:33SWIMMING POOL?

15:35I JUST CAN'T IGNORE MY

15:37CONSTITUENTS AND SAY THERE'S

15:38NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT.

15:40THAT'S NOT HOW I WAS BORN.

15:42THAT'S NOT HOW I WAS RAISED.

15:43THAT'S NOT WHAT I DO ON THE

15:45CITY COUNCIL.

15:46I FIGHT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS

15:49REGARDLESS OF WHO GETS MAD AT

15:51HIM.

15:54AS YOU PROBABLY CAN TELL, I AM

15:56DISAPPOINTED.

15:59THAT THERE IS NO ONE FROM THE

16:01CITY ADMINISTRATION HERE.

16:04TO WORK WITH ME, TO WORK WITH

16:05THE COUNCIL TO SEE HOW WE'RE

16:07GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH

16:11THAT.

16:11MADAM CHAIR, I DO KNOW THAT

16:14RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END

16:16INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD

16:17NEIGHBORHOODS, CIVIC LEADERS,

16:20UM RESPECTED CIVIC LEADERS

16:22INCLUDING JONATHAN THAT'S HERE

16:23RIGHT NOW.

16:24OTHERS OTHERS ON THE ZOOM

16:27SCREEN.

16:27UM, I DO WANT TO TESTIFY.

16:29I DO WANT TO ENGAGE IN THE

16:32CONVERSATION, DO WANT TO BE

16:33HEARD BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE

16:35HEARD BECAUSE THEY ALSO WANT TO

16:38ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.

16:40THEY KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE

16:42SOUTH AND WHERE THE SWIMMING

16:43POOL IS LOCATED.

16:45AND THEY ALSO THINK THAT IT'S A

16:47IT'S A IT'S A RACIAL JUSTICE

16:49ISSUE.

16:50HOW COULD IT NOT BE A RACIAL

16:51JUSTICE ISSUE IF YOU'RE

16:53SURROUNDED BY A PUBLIC HOUSING

16:56DEVELOPMENT, YOU'RE SURROUNDED

17:00BY VILLA VICTORIA.

17:01RIGHT NEXT TO VILLA VICTORIA IS

17:02WEST ADAMS STREET WHICH IS A UM

17:06VHA DEVELOPMENT FOR SENIORS AND

17:08PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

17:10DID THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A

17:11SWIMMING POOL?

17:12THAT'S THE QUESTION TO THE TO

17:13THOSE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO HAVE

17:15A SWIMMING POOL AND IF WE SAY

17:17YES LET'S GET IT DONE IF WE SAY

17:19NO THEY DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE A

17:20SWIMMING POOL THEN OKAY THEN

17:21THEY DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE A

17:23SWIMMING POOL BUT I'M NOT

17:24ACCEPTING THAT ANSWER FROM

17:25ANYBODY.

17:26I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I

17:27CAN TO GET THIS SWIMMING POOL

17:29OPENED AND I'M NOT GIVING UP.

17:32UM I'M GOING TO STOP THERE,

17:33MADAM CHAIR, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU

17:35HAVE, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO

17:38INTRODUCE OUR, UM, PANEL.

17:40THANK YOU.

17:41>> AND THANK YOU FOR SETTING

17:44THE STAGE AND ALWAYS

17:46ADVOCATING.

17:46FOR THE RESIDENTS.

17:48SO THANK YOU, JONATHAN ELS.

17:49YOU'RE HERE IN PERSON,

17:50PRESIDENT OF THE WASHINGTON

17:51HARRIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

17:53I DO KNOW THAT STEVE FOX AND I

17:55BELIEVE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN

17:57MORAN, WE'RE HAVING A FEW ZOOM

17:58ISSUES.

17:59WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM IN ON

18:00ZOOM BUT AND ALSO COUNCIL FLYNN

18:02I KNOW AFTER YOU SPEAK JONATHAN

18:04,IN OUR PANEL YOU HAVE LETTERS

18:06ALSO FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT

18:08WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE TIME TO

18:09UPLIFT THEIR VOICES.

18:11SO JONATHAN, WELCOME.

18:12THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND IF

18:14UM YOU PROBABLY HEARD OR SEE

18:16THAT UNFORTUNATELY A

18:19CELEBRATION WAS SCHEDULED BY BP

18:23AND THE ADMINISTRATION AFTER

18:25THIS THESE INVITES WENT OUT AT

18:26THE SAME TIME.

18:28UM SO WE ARE GOING RIGHT TO.

18:31YOU AND THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR

18:34DIRECTLY SO.

18:35YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

18:36THANK YOU.

18:37>> OKAY.

18:38>> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY.

18:40UH THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN

18:42FOR ELEVATING THIS EXTREMELY

18:45IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE.

18:49THE CITY OF BOSTON.

18:50UH, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW

18:52ME, MY NAME IS JONATHAN ALVES.

18:54I AM A 12 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE

18:57SOUTH END, 15 YEAR RESIDENT

18:58OF THE CITY OF BOSTON,

19:01CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE

19:02PRESIDENT OF THE WASHINGTON

19:04HARRISON NEIGHBORHOOD

19:05ASSOCIATION WHICH WAS FORMERLY

19:07THE BLACKSTONE SQUARE

19:10NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND

19:11EAST BERKELEY WE COMBINED

19:12EARLIER THIS YEAR.

19:14I REPRESENT THE LARGEST

19:16GEOGRAPHICAL NEIGHBORHOOD

19:17ASSOCIATION IN THE SOUTH BEND,

19:18WHICH HAPPENS TO INCLUDE THE

19:21BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER AND

19:24POOL.

19:24I AM A FATHER OF A TWO YEAR OLD

19:27DAUGHTER.

19:28UH I'M AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY

19:29MEMBER VOLUNTEER UH, ALTHOUGH I

19:32WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, MY

19:33PASSION IS MY COMMUNITY UH,

19:38WHICH IS WHY I ALSO FELT IT

19:39REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE HERE

19:40TODAY IN PERSON EVEN THOUGH

19:42IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO.

19:45UH, FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY

19:47IS I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE

19:48FOCUS BUT I DO WANT TO GET ON

19:49RECORD SAYING IT.

19:50I AM PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WHEN I

19:54LOOK AROUND THE CHAMBER TODAY

19:55AND I DON'T SEE ANY CITY

19:58REPRESENTATIVES.

19:59I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER CITY

20:02COUNCILORS MANY WHO I KNOW

20:04PERSONALLY UH I DON'T SEE

20:06ANYBODY FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM

20:08HERE FOR LEADERSHIP.

20:11UH, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY

20:13DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE THIS IS

20:15THIS IS AN IMPORTANT EQUITY

20:18ISSUE.

20:18THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR

20:20THE OVERALL CITY OF BOSTON.

20:23I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU

20:24KNOW, IT'S WORTH ACKNOWLEDGING

20:25THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT

20:27OF WORK DONE BY THE CITY TO

20:29OPEN A LOT OF POOLS THAT WERE

20:30HISTORICALLY CLOSED.

20:31SO THAT SHOULDN'T GO WITHOUT

20:33MENTION.

20:34BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S

20:36EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE AND

20:38FRUSTRATING THAT SINCE I'VE

20:40BEEN IN THE SOUTH AND AGAIN FOR

20:41MORE THAN 12 YEARS, THE

20:45BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER

20:46POOL HAS NOT BEEN OPENED AND I

20:48THINK IT GOES BACK FURTHER THAN

20:49THAT.

20:50SO THE QUESTION WE ASK

20:51OURSELVES IS WHAT IS A

20:52REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO

20:56DEDICATE RESOURCES TO AND

20:59BUDGET TO FIXING SOMETHING

21:01THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IN A

21:03COMMUNITY THAT IS EXTREMELY

21:04DIVERSE?

21:05AS COUNCILOR FLYNN NOTED, UH,

21:08THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOSTON

21:10PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS THAT

21:12SURROUND THE SCHOOL.

21:14UH THERE ARE ALSO MIXED INCOME

21:16USE HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT THE

21:17SOUTH END.

21:18UH, THIS IS A POOL THAT CAN

21:21SERVE REALLY EVERYBODY NOT JUST

21:23ME AND MY DAUGHTER BUT, UH,

21:25OTHER FAMILIES AND THERE'S ALSO

21:27MANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALREADY

21:28HAD KIDS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH

21:29THE SYSTEM UH, THAT REMEMBER

21:31BACK 20 YEARS AGO USING THE

21:33POOL WHERE THEY LEARNED TO SWIM

21:34AND THEY WROTE LETTERS IN

21:36ADVOCATING TODAY I PERSONALLY

21:39SPOKE TO 50 RESIDENTS ABOUT

21:42THIS AND I KNOW THAT MANY

21:45ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS AND

21:48INDIVIDUALS HAVE SENT IN

21:49LETTERS HIGHLIGHTING THE

21:51IMPORTANCE OF GETTING A STUDY

21:53AND FUNDING DONE FOR THIS

21:55SCHOOL.

21:56NOW PERHAPS IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE

21:57,BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN STILL

21:59FOCUS ON BIGGER ISSUES WHILE

22:00SOLVING IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

22:01AND ONE OF THOSE IMMEDIATE

22:02NEEDS IS MAKING THE POOL

22:04ACCESSIBLE.

22:05ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I

22:06WOULD POSE TO THE CITY

22:08OF BOSTON WHEN THEY THOUGHT

22:09ABOUT PRIORITIZING POOL FIXES

22:12AND AGAIN, THEY'VE DONE A GOOD

22:13JOB FIXING A LOT OF POOLS

22:14ACROSS THE CITY.

22:14WE CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY, BUT

22:17SOME OF THE POOLS THAT WERE

22:18PRIORITIZED WERE SEASONAL,

22:20MEANING OUTDOOR USE ONLY THE

22:23BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER

22:24POOL IS SEASONAL INDEPENDENT.

22:27IT'S AN INDOOR POOL WHICH MEANS

22:30IT CAN BE USED ALL YEAR ROUND.

22:34SO THE QUESTION I WOULD SAY IS

22:36WHAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS

22:37BEHIND THE POOL PRIORITIZATION?

22:42UH WHY WOULD A POOL THAT IS

22:44SEASONAL INDEPENDENT NOT

22:46NECESSARILY BE AT THE TOP

22:47OF THE LIST AND ESPECIALLY ONE

22:49THAT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR MORE

22:50THAN A DECADE?

22:53I THINK COUNCILOR FLYNN ALLUDED

22:54TO IT EARLIER BUT YOU KNOW,

22:57LEARNING HOW TO SWIM IS IS A

22:58PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AT ITS CORE

23:02.

23:03UH, OUTSIDE OF THE RECREATIONAL

23:05USES AND BENEFITS THAT HAVING A

23:09COMMUNITY ACTIVE COMMUNITY

23:10CENTER CENTERED AROUND A POOL

23:11CAN BRING, I THINK WE KNOW WE

23:14ALL KNOW THAT DROWNING REMAINS

23:16PREVENTABLE.

23:18UH, WE KNOW THAT ACCESS TO

23:20SWIMMING LESSONS CAN SAVE

23:22LIVES.

23:22AND IF YOU LOOK AT EVEN THE

23:24NATIONAL DATA, YOU KNOW

23:27APPROXIMATELY 65% OF AFRICAN

23:29AMERICAN CHILDREN AND 45%

23:32OF LATIN CHILDREN, UH, HAVE

23:34LITTLE TO NO SWIMMING ABILITY.

23:36AND I KNOW WE COULD LOOK AT THE

23:37ACTUAL NUMBERS IN THE SOUTH

23:38END, BUT THAT'S PRETTY

23:40ASTONISHING IF YOU THINK ABOUT

23:42IT, NOT EVERYBODY IS PRIVILEGED

23:43AND HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO

23:47TO, UH, A PAY MEMBERSHIP POOL.

23:49UH, NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE

23:51OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HAVE ACCESS

23:54TO PEOPLE THAT CAN TEACH THEM

23:55TO SWIM.

23:56THIS IS WHERE AS A SOCIETY THIS

23:59IS WHERE AS A CITY WHO SPEAKS

24:01TO CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY HAS TO

24:03STEP UP AND FILL THAT GAP

24:05BECAUSE CHILDREN AND KIDS AND

24:07ELDERS AND THIS IS THE

24:09EQUALIZER.

24:09THIS IS WHAT GIVES UH EVERYBODY

24:13A CHANCE AND THIS IS WHAT CAN

24:15PREVENT DEATHS.

24:19WE KNOW THAT THE SOUTH END IS

24:20EXTREMELY DIVERSE LIKE MANY

24:21NEIGHBORHOODS IN BOSTON,

24:23ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST

24:24DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

24:29WE KNOW THAT LOW INCOME

24:30FAMILIES FACE PARTICULAR

24:32BARRIERS.

24:35AND WE KNOW THOSE BARRIERS ARE

24:37DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO THINGS

24:38LIKE HAVING ACCESS TO SWIMMING

24:40AND LEARNING HOW TO SWIM.

24:41I MEAN, IF YOU WALK DOWN

24:42WASHINGTON STREET IN THE SOUTH

24:43END AND YOU TALK TO KIDS FROM

24:45THE VALEDICTORIAN, TALK TO KIDS

24:46FROM HOUSING, YOU KNOW, I CAN

24:51RECALL OVER THE SUMMER JUST

24:52TALKING ABOUT EVEN GOING TO THE

24:54BEACH WITH A FEW KIDS AND NONE

24:55OF THOSE KIDS THAT HAVE EVEN

24:55BEEN TO THE BEACH BECAUSE THEY

24:56DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

24:57THEY TOLD ME THAT PERSONALLY

24:58AND I WAS YOU KNOW, INITIALLY A

25:00LITTLE SHOCKED BUT THEN I

25:01WASN'T SURPRISED WHEN I WHEN I

25:02LOOKED INTO THE DATA AND I

25:04THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND.

25:05A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES

25:06ESPECIALLY THE LOWER INCOME

25:08ONES, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS

25:09AND THE ABILITY TO GET TO OTHER

25:11LOCATIONS IN THE CITY SO

25:12EASILY, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE

25:13YOUNGER AND THEIR PARENTS ARE

25:14WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS AND

25:15THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE

25:16ENDS MEET.

25:17THIS POOL UH, THIS COMMUNITY

25:20CENTER SERVES A WIDE ARRAY

25:25OF FOLKS, UH, AND IT MAKES

25:26THINGS REALLY ACCESSIBLE BUT IT

25:28HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE

25:30LEVERAGED.

25:32SO I CAN TELL YOU, UH,

25:34REPRESENTING WASHINGTON

25:35HARRISON NEIGHBORHOOD

25:36ASSOCIATION, UH, REPRESENTING

25:38MANY RESIDENTS THAT I SPOKE

25:39WITH THAT WE ARE COMMITTED THAT

25:42I AM COMMITTED ON WORKING WITH

25:44COUNCILOR FLYNN AND

25:44COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE CITY

25:47OF BOSTON, THE MAYOR AND

25:48WHOEVER ELSE WE NEED TO TO GET

25:50THIS PRIORITIZED, TO GET THIS

25:51FUNDED, TO GET THIS BUDGETED.

25:53WE HAVE A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE

25:54IN THE CITY WITH A LOT

25:56OF RESOURCES.

25:56WE CAN DO IT.

25:59SO UH, I WOULD JUST CONCLUDE BY

26:00SAYING I APPRECIATE THE

26:02OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

26:04UH, I TRUST THAT THIS WILL NOT

26:06BE THE FINAL CONVERSATION.

26:08I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO

26:10PAY ATTENTION TO THE MANY

26:11LETTERS THAT I SAW COME IN THIS

26:12MORNING FROM WELL-RESPECTED

26:15RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN

26:16THE SOUTH END.

26:18I KNOW.

26:18>> THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AND

26:21LET'S DO BETTER.

26:22LET'S REOPEN THIS POOL.

26:24THANK YOU.

26:27THANK YOU JOHN.

26:35THANK YOU THANK YOU MEGAN THANK

26:37YOU FOR BEING HERE AND YOU SAID

26:41IT AND NOTICED IT IS.

26:42ALWAYS DISCOURAGING WHEN THE

26:44CHAMBER.

26:45IS EMPTY NOT JUST WITH

26:46COLLEAGUES BUT THE

26:47ADMINISTRATION.

26:49UM IT.

26:50HAPPENS UNFORTUNATELY.

26:51OFTENTIMES WHEN COUNCIL FLYNN I

26:52FILE.

26:53HEARING ORDERS THERE DOESN'T

26:54SEEM.

26:55TO BE A POLITICAL WILL

26:56SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE

26:56ADVOCATING.

26:57FOR COMMUNITIES THAT MAY NOT,

27:00UM, BE HIGH ON THE PRIORITY.

27:02>> FOR.

27:03WHATEVER POLITICAL REASON.

27:04BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ALWAYS.

27:07ADVOCATING NOT JUST FOR

27:09YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY BUT YOUR.

27:10COMMUNITY AND.

27:11YOU UNDERSTAND WHICH IS SO

27:14IMPORTANT IS AND AS AN AT LARGE

27:15CITY COUNCILOR IT'S WHAT I.

27:19SEE EVERY DAY IS.

27:20WHAT WE DO IN.

27:21HYDE PARK MATTERS.

27:23>> TO ROXBURY.

27:23WHAT WE DO IN THE SOUTH THEN

27:24MATTERS TO THE CHINATOWN.

27:26WHEREVER WE'RE INVESTING OUR

27:28TIME AND OUR ENERGY AND OUR.

27:29RESOURCES.

27:30>> IT RIPPLES OUT.

27:31TO THE REST OF THE CITY WHEN

27:33WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

27:35COASTAL FLOODING.

27:36PEOPLE IN WEST ROXBURY HAVE TO

27:38BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION

27:39TOO.

27:39AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

27:42STUDENTS CLOSE TO 600.

27:43STUDENTS AT THE BLACKSTONE,

27:44MANY OF THEM MINORITIES LIVING

27:46RIGHT THERE IN THAT

27:47NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WOULD HAVE

27:49THAT POOL OPEN DURING THE DAY.

27:50SWIMMING LESSONS, STUDENTS SO.

27:51THEY WOULD BE LEARNING.

27:53>> HOW TO SWIM.

27:53YOU KNOW, WITHOUT PARENTS.

27:55HAVING TO FIND TIME ON THE.

27:56WEEKENDS OR IN THE EVENINGS.

27:58SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE

28:00STUDENTS OF THE BLACKSTONE.

28:01>> THEY DESERVE.

28:02YOU KNOW, I GREW UP LEARNING

28:05HOW.

28:05TO SWIM.

28:06>> AT THE MURPHY COMMUNITY

28:07SCHOOL IN DORCHESTER, RIGHT,

28:08THAT I.

28:09GREW UP IN COMMUNITY CENTERS

28:11AND WE KNOW THAT.

28:13ACCESS TO SWIMMING LESSONS NOT

28:15JUST SAVES LIVES.

28:16IT'S ACCESS TO YOU KNOW, OUR

28:18COMMUNITY CENTERS MATTERS.

28:21SO THE BLACKSTONE IN THAT

28:23COMMUNITY DESERVES WHAT EVERY

28:24OTHER SCHOOL IN YOU MENTIONED

28:26CHARLESTOWN I WAS THERE

28:27ADVOCATING FOR CHARLESTOWN.

28:28BUT IF WE'RE RE RENOVATING AN

28:31OUTDOOR.

28:32POOL BUT THEN NOT MAKING SURE

28:33WE'RE FINDING.

28:34RESOURCES TO OPEN A YEAR ROUND.

28:36POOL LIKE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE

28:38THAT WHAT'S GOOD FOR ONE

28:39NEIGHBORHOOD HAS TO BE GOOD FOR

28:41ANOTHER.

28:41SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.

28:43I DO TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

28:44UM, ONE IS THE ZOOM IS NOT

28:48WORKING COMPLETELY PROPERLY.

28:50I KNOW THAT REPRESENTATIVE

28:52MORAN.

28:52AND STEVE.

28:53FOX IS ON THERE AND SOMEBODY

28:54ELSE WE CAN'T SEE THEIR NAME.

28:56ETHAN IS WORKING HARD TO GET A

28:57FIX.

28:57WE MAY.

28:58>> SWITCH THEM OVER TO GOOGLE.

28:59>> MEET IN ONE MINUTE.

29:00BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, UM, I DO

29:02WANT TO.

29:03ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN

29:04JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.

29:05SO COUNCIL CHARLES.

29:06>> YOU HAVE THE.

29:07THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.

29:09UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

29:11UH THE BOTH OF YOU ESPECIALLY

29:13COUNCILOR FLYNN, UH, AND

29:15CULPEPER FOR BRINGING THIS

29:16FORWARD AS WELL, UH, TALKING

29:18ABOUT THE NEED FOR A SWIMMING

29:20POOL IN THE SOUTH END I KNOW

29:22RIGHT NOW, UH, EVEN AT THE

29:23MURPHY SCHOOL, THE POOL IN

29:25DORCHESTER IS OUT AND WE'VE

29:26GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT

29:27THAT AND SORT OF THE THE UPTAKE

29:29ON THE SWIM TEAM AND THE

29:31ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR THERE AND

29:32THE THINGS THAT WE CAN OFFER

29:34OUR KIDS.

29:35UM, UH AND WHAT IS BEING UH

29:38IMPACTED BY NOT BEING THERE AND

29:39SO TO THINK THAT THAT HAS

29:41HAPPENED OVER A LENGTHY AMOUNT

29:45OF TIME AT THE BLACKSTONE, UM,

29:47AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE BEING

29:48DEPRIVED OF THERE UM, I JUST

29:50WANT TO SAY APPRECIATE TO

29:51MR ALVES FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

29:53UM, UH, IN REPRESENTING UH THE

29:55COMMUNITY UM AND I KNOW THAT HE

29:57CARES VERY DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT

29:58THAT COULD PROVIDE AND I WOULD

29:59LIKE TO THANK UH,

30:01REPRESENTATIVE MORAN AND STEVE

30:02FOX FOR ALSO UH, BEING HERE

30:04TODAY.

30:05UH, TO CHIME IN BUT UH, WE ARE

30:06IN SUPPORT OF, UH, GETTING THE

30:08INVESTMENT THAT THIS PLACE

30:09NEEDS UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

30:10SO THAT.

30:11UH.

30:11>> THE BEAUTY THAT COMES WITH

30:12THE.

30:12SWIMMING POOL AND ALL THE GOOD

30:13THINGS.

30:14UH, ALL THOSE AMENITIES WILL

30:15CAN BE OFFERED TO THE SOUTH

30:16BEND COMMUNITY.

30:17UH THANK YOU JIM.

30:18THANK YOU.

30:19>> UM, BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK.

30:22TO SEE IF THAT'S GOING TO WORK,

30:25I DO JUST WANT TO.

30:26SHARE SOME DATA ON.

30:28PAST CAPITAL BUDGET.

30:34PROMISES AND JUST STATE THAT

30:36BACK LAST.

30:36YEAR, COUNCILOR FLYNN IN 2025

30:39FILE DOCKET.

30:401438 WHICH WAS AN ORDER FOR A

30:42HEARING REGARDING THE.

30:43STATUS AND.

30:44>> THE.

30:44FUTURE OF THE BLACKSTONE POOL.

30:46>> AND I BELIEVE THAT.

30:47IF WE WENT BACK.

30:48>> EVERY.

30:48YEAR EVERY YEAR YOU DO.

30:49FILE THIS HEARING TO GET SOME

30:51ANSWERS.

30:52SO THE CITY HAS NOT.

30:53PUBLISHED A REOPENING DATE, A

30:55CURRENT ITEMIZED REPAIR

30:57ESTIMATE OR A PUBLICLY

30:58AVAILABLE ENGINEERING

30:59ASSESSMENT ESTABLISHING THE.

31:01>> FULL SCOPE OF THE WORK.

31:03.

31:03>> THE POOL WAS.

31:04OPERATING IN MAY OF 2019 AND

31:06WAS LISTED AMONG THE.

31:07CLOSED FACILITIES BY THE.

31:09>> SUMMER OF.

31:10>> 2022 UH IN 2019 AND A WAYS

31:13AND MEANS HEARING

31:14COUNCIL OF FLYNN ASKED ABOUT

31:16THE.

31:16BLACKSTONE POOL AND WHETHER.

31:17>> THERE WERE ANY ISSUES, THE

31:19ADMIN RESPONDED.

31:20THAT THE POOL WAS FUNCTIONING.

31:21>> AND THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE

31:23OF ANY ISSUES IN 2021 AT A WAYS

31:25AND MEANS HEARING,

31:26COUNCILOR FLYNN REQUESTED AN

31:27UPDATE ON RENOVATION PLANS AT

31:29THE.

31:29BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER.

31:31THE ADMINISTRATION RESPONDED.

31:33THE BCA BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY

31:35CENTER IS HOUSED WITHIN THE

31:38BLACKSTONE.

31:38SCHOOL.

31:39>> SO ANY AND ALL FACILITY

31:41UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AS

31:42WELL AS DAY TO DAY CUSTODIAL

31:44WORK ARE PERFORMED AND FUNDED

31:46BY DPS FACILITIES MANAGEMENT,

31:48NOT BCA.

31:50WE HAVE COLLABORATED ON JOINT

31:51FUNDING IN THE PAST IN THE GYM

31:53AND THE POOL AREAS, BUT WE ARE

31:55UNAWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC

31:57RENOVATION PLANS.

31:58I DO HAVE YOU HAVE.

32:00THAT OFTEN HAVE BEEN ANSWER

32:04WHEN ASKED ABOUT.

32:06>> OTHER POOLS THAT THERE WAS.

32:10AN ABILITY I.

32:10WOULD SAY TO HIDE.

32:11BEHIND IS THIS.

32:12ISSUE IS THIS.

32:14>> A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ISSUE

32:15?

32:16I KNOW THAT BACK.

32:16WHERE I HAVE IS NOW UNDER.

32:18PUBLIC FACILITIES AND I THINK

32:19MANAGED BETTER UNDER THAT

32:22UMBRELLA THAT BCA AND DPS.

32:24CAN'T JUST.

32:25>> PASS THE BUCK.

32:26BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE.

32:27AT THE END OF THE DAY RESIDENTS

32:30,STUDENTS.

32:31AND YOU KNOW.

32:32>> US EVEN.

32:33COUNCILORS IT DOESN'T MATTER

32:35WHO THE BILL.

32:36>> GOES TO, IT MATTERS THAT THE

32:37CITY.

32:38IS WORKING TO GET IT OPEN.

32:40SO WE HAVE BEEN JOINED.

32:42SO I WILL GO AND READ MORE

32:43OF SOME OF.

32:43THE DISINVESTMENT PROMISES.

32:48ORIGINALLY $20 MILLION THAT NOW

32:50LOOK LIKE MAYBE.

32:52200,000 WILL BE SPENT.

32:53>> ON A STUDY SO.

32:54I DO I'LL GO OVER THOSE AFTER

32:56BUT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED ON ZOOM

32:59BY STEVE FOX.

33:00WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE SOUTH

33:02END FORUM.

33:02AND ALSO.

33:04BY REPRESENTATIVE.

33:05JOHN MORAN.

33:06SO UM REPRESENTATIVE WOULD YOU

33:07LIKE TO.

33:08>> GO FIRST?

33:08THANK YOU.

33:09>> BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND

33:10SORRY.

33:10FOR SOME OF THE TECHNICAL

33:11DIFFICULTIES.

33:13YEAH.

33:14>> GOOD MORNING.

33:15UM.

33:16>> UH.

33:16HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.

33:18YEAH.

33:18VERY VERY GOOD.

33:19>> MORNING JOHN.

33:20WE CAN HEAR YOU.

33:20IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU STEVE AS

33:22WELL.

33:22GOOD TO SEE YOU.

33:23AND I KNOW UM UH, JOHN FOR NOW

33:25DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KIND

33:28OF REPRESENTING UH, SOME OF THE

33:29NEIGHBORHOOD VIEWS UH, BUT

33:31SITTING ME UH, RIGHT BEHIND

33:34ME YOU CAN SEE ME IS UH, PHOTO

33:36UH DONE BY ALLEN BRIAN CRIME,

33:38UH, FAMOUS SOUTH END PAINTER

33:40AND I GUESS JUST WANTED TALK UH

33:44,AND JUST KIND OF EMPHASIZE

33:45RE-EMPHASIZE THAT I'M PROUD TO

33:47REPRESENT A VERY DIVERSE

33:49DISTRICT IN OF DISTRICT NINE

33:51AND INCLUDES FOLKS IN LOWER

33:54ROXBURY AND INCLUDES, UH, FOLKS

33:56IN THE SOUTH AND AND THESE KIDS

33:58,UH, REALLY DESERVE A PLACE TO

34:01TO SWIM TO UH, YOU KNOW, FOR

34:04THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL AS

34:05THEIR PHYSICAL HAVE A MENTAL

34:07HEALTH PART IS A PART THAT

34:08MAYBE I BRING AS A MEMBER

34:11OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND

34:11SUBSTANCE USE AND

34:13RECOVERY COMMITTEE THAT IT'S

34:14REALLY IMPORTANT PHYSICAL

34:15EXERCISE IS REALLY IMPORTANT

34:17AND UH I DO FEEL VERY HEAVY

34:22HEART WHEN I THINK ABOUT SOME

34:24OF THE RESOURCES THAT HALF

34:27OF MY CONSTITUENTS GET AS BY

34:29VIRTUE OF BEING FAIRLY AFFLUENT

34:31AND HAVE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES

34:34TO GO TO SPECIAL PROGRAMS.

34:36UH, BUT YET THERE'S THIS

34:39IMPORTANT 50% OF MY DISTRICT

34:43WITH CHILDREN THAT DON'T HAVE

34:44THE MEANS TO JOIN SPECIAL CLUBS

34:47OR GO TO OTHER PLACES.

34:49AND SO I JUST SIMPLY WANT TO

34:50SAY THAT, UH, THIS IS A REALLY

34:52IMPORTANT, UH, IMPORTANT TOOL

34:56IN OUR TOOLBOX FOR THESE KIDS

35:00AND IT IS YOU KNOW, HAVING

35:02VISITED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO,

35:05IT'S JUST A SAD STATE

35:06OF AFFAIRS.

35:07WE CAN'T GET IT BACK UP AND

35:09RUNNING AND UM, I I WOULD

35:11ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AT THE

35:13STATE LEVEL TO HELP WE'RE

35:15WILLING TO DO BUT.

35:16I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE A.

35:17FOCUS ON AND I JUST WANT TO

35:18THANK UM.

35:19BOTH UH.

35:21COUNCILOR MURPHY AND

35:22COUNCILOR PLAN FOR HOLDING THIS

35:23IMPORTANT HEARING ABOUT THIS

35:24REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND, UH

35:26.

35:27WE REALLY, UH.

35:28>> I JUST WANT TO REALLY, UH,

35:31EMPHASIZE THAT I APPRECIATE THE

35:33FACT THAT.

35:34WE NEED TO FIGHT.

35:35FOR THOSE THAT HAVE LAST IN MY

35:38SUFFOLK DISTRICT NINE DISTRICT.

35:40SO THANKS VERY MUCH.

35:41THANK YOU.

35:42>> JOHN.

35:44REPRESENTATIVE.

35:46>> STEVE, YOU CAN GO NEXT.

35:50GOOD.

35:51>> GOOD MORNING ALL.

35:52CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY.

35:53YES.

35:54>> GREAT.

35:55>> THANKS.

35:56UH.

35:56COUNCILOR MURPHY,

35:57COUNCILOR FLYNN, THANK YOU VERY

35:59MUCH FOR FOR HOLDING THIS

36:01HEARING.

36:01UM, REP MORAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

36:03THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOR.

36:04>> YOUR GOOD WORDS.

36:05JONATHAN ALVES.

36:06UM, GREAT JOB IN TERMS

36:08OF LAYING OUT, UH, YOU KNOW,

36:10SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES INVOLVED

36:12IN.

36:12WHY WE'RE.

36:13>> CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

36:15UM.

36:15THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME KNOW

36:17THAT.

36:17UH, UM THAT THAT I COME FROM A

36:19SOUTH FORUM PERSPECTIVE WHICH.

36:21TRIES TO.

36:22>> BRING TOGETHER ALL.

36:23THE ORGANIZATIONS.

36:24>> AT THE SOUTH END BOTH.

36:25NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.

36:27AS WELL AS NONPROFITS AS WELL

36:28AS OUR BUSINESSES.

36:30AND SO I CAN SAY TO YOU THAT

36:32ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN

36:34REPRESENT HERE.

36:35THAT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN

36:37SPOKEN WELL BY JOHN OR JONATHAN

36:41IS THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE SOUTH

36:44AND AS A PUBLIC FACILITY.

36:48DESERT UM, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT

36:50TERM.

36:51UH, LET'S KEEP IN MIND THAT

36:54WE'VE NOW HAD A CLOSED SOUTH

36:56END LIBRARY.

36:58FOR OVER THREE YEARS.

37:00WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET A

37:01LIBRARY.

37:02BACK FOR AT.

37:02LEAST ANOTHER 18.

37:04MONTHS TO TWO YEARS.

37:05SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT FACILITY

37:08.

37:08THERE IS NO.

37:10OTHER PUBLIC FACILITY.

37:12IN THE SOUTH.

37:13UM WHERE COMMUNITIES CAN MEET.

37:16WHERE UM.

37:17THERE CAN BE RECREATION.

37:19WHERE THERE CAN BE KIDS WHO CAN

37:21GATHER WHERE.

37:22SENIORS CAN.

37:23COME TOGETHER.

37:24SO WHILE THIS HEARING.

37:26>> IS FOCUSED.

37:27ON THE POOL AND THAT'S.

37:29A REALLY CRITICAL ASPECT.

37:31UM, JUST A SIDE NOTE HERE.

37:33UH, JONATHAN SAID HE'S.

37:34BEEN HERE FOR A DOZEN YEARS.

37:36I'VE BEEN IN THE SOUTH END FOR

37:38A LITTLE LONGER.

37:40UH, SO LET'S SAY.

37:41THREE DECADES AND THE.

37:44SAME EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF THE

37:46POOL.

37:46I RECALL ONE SHORT PERIOD.

37:48OF TIME WHEN IT WAS.

37:49REOPENED UH, ALMOST THREE

37:51DECADES AGO AND THEN IT CLOSED.

37:53DOWN QUICKLY.

37:54AND NEVER REOPENED.

37:56UM, SO WE'VE.

37:57BEEN WITHOUT THAT.

37:58POOL IN THE.

37:59BLACKSTONE UH, COMMUNITY CENTER

38:01FOR QUITE.

38:02>> A LONG TIME.

38:03BUT THE LARGER ISSUE WHICH I

38:05THINK.

38:06ALL OF US ARE AWARE OF.

38:07>> IS THAT THE BLACKSTONE.

38:08COMMUNITY CENTER ITSELF.

38:10WHICH IS THE OLD BLACKSTONE

38:13SCHOOL.

38:14IS IN DESPERATE.

38:16DESPERATE NEED OF A RENOVATION.

38:18AND EVERY YEAR NEIGHBORHOOD

38:21ASSOCIATIONS PUT IT ON THE

38:23AGENDA.

38:24>> AS A PRIORITY FOR.

38:25FUNDING BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON

38:27THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

38:28AND EVERY YEAR.

38:29IT GETS IGNORED.

38:32SO I REALLY.

38:33>> WANT TO.

38:33SAY THAT FROM A SOUTH END.

38:37FACILITY PERSPECTIVE.

38:40WE NEED TO MAKE THIS A.

38:42REAL PRIORITY NOT JUST BECAUSE

38:44OF THE POOL WHICH I THINK IS

38:46CRUCIAL BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE.

38:49THE COMMUNITY CENTER THAT

38:51HOUSES.

38:51>> THAT POOL.

38:52IS NOT GOING TO.

38:53>> BE ABLE TO HOUSE A BRAND.

38:55NEW POOL.

38:56UNLESS WE DO SOME MAJOR

38:57STRUCTURAL RENOVATIONS ON THAT

38:59COMMUNITY CENTER.

39:00I WILL TELL YOU THE.

39:01LAST TIME I HELD A MEETING AT

39:03THAT COMMUNITY CENTER, WE HAD

39:04TO LEAVE.

39:05HALFWAY THROUGH THE MEETING

39:07BECAUSE THE HEAT COULD.

39:08NOT BE TURNED.

39:09DOWN AND WE WERE AND.

39:11PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY SWEATING

39:12IN THE MEETING.

39:13UM, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF.

39:15INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT WE

39:17SEE AT THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY

39:19CENTER.

39:20SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE.

39:22HOW IMPORTANT.

39:23IT IS TO THE SOUTH END THAT WE

39:24GET TREATED FAIRLY IN.

39:27TERMS OF FACILITIES.

39:29WE HAVE ONLY FIRE STATIONS WHAT

39:32POLICE STATION AND SCHOOLS.

39:35AND NO OTHER COMMUNITY.

39:39FACILITIES THAT ACTUALLY SERVE

39:41.

39:42THE 3030.

39:432000 RESIDENTS.

39:45>> OF THE SOUTH END.

39:47SO I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE

39:48HOW IMPORTANT IT.

39:49IS AS.

39:50>> A MATTER OF BASIC.

39:51FAIRNESS THAT THE SOUTH END BE

39:53TREATED WELL IN TERMS.

39:55>> OF GETTING.

39:55THIS FIXED, I REALLY APPRECIATE

39:57IT.

39:58UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY

39:59QUESTIONS.

40:00UM.

40:00THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE.

40:03>> OPPORTUNITY TO, UH TO SPEAK

40:04TO YOU ALL.

40:04THANKS SO MUCH.

40:07THANK YOU.

40:08>> BOTH OF YOU.

40:08UM.

40:09>> WE DO HAVE ONE OTHER PERSON.

40:11FOR PUBLIC.

40:12TESTIMONY SEPARATE.

40:13FROM PANELIST.

40:14SO BEFORE WE GO.

40:15TO THAT, IF ANY OF MY.

40:16COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO ASK

40:17ANY QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO THIS.

40:19COMMUNITY PANEL.

40:20COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE

40:21FLOOR.

40:21YOU KNOW.

40:22>> I KNOW YOU.

40:22ALSO HAVE SOME LETTERS THAT.

40:24WERE MENTIONED.

40:25JONATHAN.

40:25THANK YOU.

40:26>> I THINK YOU SAW THEM COME IN

40:28TO OF.

40:28YOU KNOW.

40:30>> COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE

40:31WANT TO GET SOME OF THEIR

40:32POINTS ON THE RECORD SO IF

40:34COUNCIL FLYNN IF YOU'D LIKE TO.

40:37YEAH I.

40:38BEFORE I ASK QUESTIONS I WANT

40:39TO SAY THANK YOU TO UM STEVE

40:41FOX TO UM TO REPRESENTATIVE

40:46JOHN AND TO INTO JONATHAN AS

40:48WELL THREE THREE INDIVIDUALS

40:52THAT CONSTANTLY ADVOCATE FOR

40:56THE SOUTH END AND ROXBURY

40:59RESIDENTS BUT.

41:01YOU KNOW, HAVE TREMENDOUS

41:03RESPECT FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR

41:06ADVOCACY ESPECIALLY YOUR

41:07ADVOCACY FOR.

41:09COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

41:11THEY'RE PART OF OUR

41:13NEIGHBORHOOD.

41:14THEY CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO OUR

41:16CITY AND THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE

41:19ASKING FOR IS A LITTLE BIT

41:21OF RESPECT.

41:22THEY'RE ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT

41:23OF JUSTICE AND THEY'RE ASKING

41:26FOR THE SAME DECENCY IN AS

41:31STEVE FOX MENTIONED, THE SAME

41:33BASIC.

41:33CITY SERVICES THAT OTHER

41:35NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVE.

41:37IS THAT IS THAT REALLY A LOT TO

41:39ASK FOR?

41:41UM, I DON'T THINK SO.

41:43BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU

41:45TO STEVE AND TO AND TO JONATHAN

41:47AND AND TO JOHN UM, FOR ALWAYS

41:50BEING THERE FOR FOR THE SOUTH

41:52END RESIDENTS.

41:53UM.

41:55LET ME LET ME.

41:57ASK LET ME START WITH STEVE

41:58FOX.

42:01UM AND THEN AND THEN I'LL GIVE

42:02AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MY OTHER

42:03COLLEAGUES.

42:04STEVE I RECEIVED A LOT

42:05OF LETTERS AND JONATHAN ELVES

42:07UM, HIGHLIGHTED IT TO JONATHAN

42:09SAID HE HE RECEIVED HE TALKED

42:11ABOUT 50 PEOPLE ALL ABOUT THIS

42:13ISSUE ADVOCATING FOR FOR IT TO

42:16BE OPEN.

42:17I RECEIVED A LETTER HERE FROM

42:18VANESSA CALDERON,

42:21WELL-RESPECTED LEADER IN OUR

42:22COMMUNITY.

42:23UM, I RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE

42:25SOUTH END UM SOCCER PROGRAM,

42:28THE FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE

42:30SCHOOL AS WELL.

42:33UM BUT STEVE, WE.

42:34SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT HOW

42:36CRITICAL IT IS FOR SWIMMING

42:38LESSONS FOR CHILDREN ALL

42:40CHILDREN TO RECEIVE SWIMMING

42:41LESSONS, ESPECIALLY.

42:42CHILDREN OF COLOR THAT MIGHT

42:44NOT HAVE ACCESS THIS IT'S VERY

42:48CHALLENGING, STEVE, FOR SOUTH

42:49BEND RESIDENTS TO GET TO

42:51ANOTHER SWIMMING POOL TO GET

42:53SWIMMING SWIMMING LESSONS AND.

42:57WE REALLY HAVEN'T DEVELOPED A

42:58PLAN TO ENSURE SOUTH END

43:01RESIDENTS HAVE THAT OPTION.

43:03THAT'S HOW CRITICAL A SWIMMING

43:05POOL IS.

43:06SO I GUESS MY MY QUESTION TO.

43:08YOU STEVE.

43:09>> IS.

43:11UM WHAT WHAT CAN WE.

43:12DO AS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAY

43:15ACTIVE, TO STAY ENGAGED, TO

43:18CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOUTH

43:21END RESIDENTS TO SHORE.

43:23TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE TREATED

43:25WITH RESPECT?

43:27WELL THANKS COUNCILOR.

43:29UM, I.

43:30THINK THAT THE SOUTH.

43:31END HAS ENDED UP.

43:33UM, TRYING TO UM, FIND.

43:36SOLUTIONS OF NECESSITY.

43:39>> UM UM AS A RESULT.

43:40>> OF THE LACK OF UH THE

43:42FACILITIES.

43:42>> FOR.

43:43EXAMPLE ON ON THIS ISSUE.

43:45IN TERMS OF POOLS.

43:47UM AND.

43:48>> I WANT TO BE SURE THAT

43:49EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S

43:50NOT JUST SWIMMING, IT'S.

43:51ALSO CREATING A.

43:52GATHERING SPOT FOR YOUNG KIDS

43:55TO BE.

43:55>> ABLE.

43:56TO COME TOGETHER NOT ONLY AND

43:58LEARN.

43:58SWIMMING, BUT.

43:59TO BE ABLE.

44:00>> TO ENGAGE AND FIND A PLACE

44:02WHERE THEY CAN.

44:03FEEL COMFORTABLE, SAFE AND CAN

44:05ENGAGE.

44:05IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT

44:06ACTIVITIES.

44:08BEFORE THE SWIMMING.

44:09UM AND AFTER THE SWIMMING.

44:11SO UH, KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT

44:13WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIXING THIS

44:15POOL WE'RE NOT JUST.

44:16TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE SITTING IN

44:18THE POOL AND LEARNING SWIMMING

44:19.

44:19THERE'S A BUNCH.

44:20OF ACTIVITIES ADJACENT TO THAT.

44:22>> THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

44:23UM, SO WHAT WE'VE.

44:24DONE IS.

44:25>> WE'VE REACHED.

44:26OUT TO PLACES LIKE THE Y AND

44:28UM, YOU KNOW, WE USED TWO YEARS

44:30AGO UM, AND THIS IS.

44:32WE'RE GOING BACK QUITE A WAYS.

44:34WE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE

44:35SHERATON IN THAT DAY.

44:37>> AND ASKED IF WE COULD

44:38POSSIBLY CUT A DEAL FOR SOUTH

44:40BEND RESIDENTS RESIDENT KIDS,

44:42UH, TO BE ABLE TO USE THE POOL

44:44THERE.

44:45UM, WE WEREN'T.

44:46>> ABLE TO CUT A DEAL, BUT.

44:47THAT'S THE.

44:48>> KIND OF THING THAT WE'VE

44:49BEEN FORCED TO DO OVER.

44:50TIME IN ORDER TO TRY TO SERVE

44:52OUR COMMUNITY AS NEIGHBORHOOD

44:54PEOPLE.

44:55UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE.

44:57WHY OF.

44:57>> COURSE HAS BEEN.

44:58TREMENDOUSLY RESPONSIVE AND.

44:59THAT'S OVER BY NORTHEASTERN AND

45:00THAT'S GREAT AND THEY'RE

45:02TERRIFIC BUT THERE'S NOTHING

45:03THAT REALLY.

45:05IS AS UM AS FAIR.

45:08AS HAVING A FACILITY.

45:10WHERE KIDS CAN FEEL LIKE THEY

45:11CAN GO AND LEARN AND BE.

45:13TOGETHER AND FEEL SAFE.

45:15UM, SO.

45:17I THINK I THINK IN RESPONSE TO

45:19YOUR QUESTION, COUNSELOR.

45:21UH, WE'VE.

45:21WE'VE BASICALLY BEEN TRYING

45:24EVERYTHING WE CAN.

45:26TO TRY.

45:27>> TO IDENTIFY.

45:28POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.

45:29WHILE WE DON'T HAVE.

45:31OUR OWN SOLUTION.

45:32SO THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY.

45:33IMPORTANT THAT.

45:34>> THIS BE TREATED AS PRIORITY

45:36SO THAT WE UH THAT WE AREN'T,

45:38UH, ALWAYS COMING HAT IN HAND.

45:40THANKS.

45:41AND THANK YOU, STEVE AND.

45:43I.

45:44>> I APPRECIATE.

45:45THOSE COMMENTS AND RESPECT.

45:46>> THE WORK.

45:47YOU HAVE DONE.

45:48AND STEVE, YOU MENTIONED YOU

45:50HIGHLIGHTED THE SWIMMING BUT

45:52ALSO THE BUILDING.

45:53THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.

45:55I WAS THERE RECENTLY WITH I

45:57BELIEVE WITH JOHN MORAN WE WERE

45:58THERE FOR UH A YOUTH EVENT AS

46:03IT RELATES TO PAINTING OF A

46:05MURAL.

46:06UM UM IT WAS IT WAS A.

46:07BEAUTIFUL MURAL.

46:08>> DONE BY UM YOUNG PEOPLE,

46:10YOUNG TEENS UM FROM MANY FROM

46:13THE VILLAGE VICTORIA AREA AND

46:14THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB.

46:17UM BUT YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

46:19THE THE BUILDING ITSELF IS IS

46:22IN DESPERATE NEED

46:23OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS

46:24.

46:24UM, SO I WANT TO ASK UM, REP

46:28MORAN JOHN, YOU YOU SPEND A LOT

46:32OF TIME IN THAT AREA WITH THOSE

46:35WITH THE YOUTH.

46:36UM, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO IN

46:39TERMS OF ADVOCATING FOR NOT

46:42JUST A POOL BUT ALSO FOR, UM,

46:46INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO

46:47THE TO THE FACILITY ITSELF?

46:50UM, THE PLAYGROUND THE THE

46:53OUTSIDE THE COURTYARD IT'S

46:54CONNECTED TO THE SCHOOL I WAS

46:57THERE FOR OPENING I THINK YOU

46:58WERE THERE AS WELL FOR OPENING

46:59DAY.

47:00>> FOR SCHOOL.

47:00UM, WE GO TO THAT PANCAKE

47:02BREAKFAST ALL THE TIME BUT.

47:05THEY HAVE.

47:05THEY HAVE THE EXCELLENT

47:08PRINCIPAL, UM, MICHELLE BECK.

47:10SHE'S DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.

47:12BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?

47:14UM, REP MORAN AND I KNOW YOU'VE

47:16YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

47:17OF WORK IN THIS FIELD, BUT I

47:18JUST WANT TO ASK WHAT YOUR

47:20THOUGHTS ARE.

47:21YEAH.

47:22>> NO THANKS, COUNSELOR.

47:23>> I GUESS ONE THING THAT COMES

47:24TO MIND IS THAT TO YOUR POINT,

47:25WE HAVE AN AMAZING NEW WELL,

47:27SHE'S BEEN THERE, UM, TWO YEARS

47:29OR THREE YEARS.

47:30UH, COURTNEY SHUKMAN SHE'S

47:31SHE'S A PHENOMENAL UH, SHE'S

47:35SHE'S A SUPER HUMAN IN MY IN MY

47:36BOOK, UM, IN WHAT SHE'S DOING

47:38WITH THAT SCHOOL AND IF YOU GO

47:40THROUGH THE SCHOOL FOR THE

47:41EVENTS THAT WE GO TO WHETHER IT

47:42BE THE UH.

47:43THE BOOK.

47:44READING THING WE GO TO A

47:45COUNSELOR AND AND JONATHAN, I

47:47KNOW YOU GO TO THOSE TWO FOR

47:48THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST UH, OR

47:50OTHER THINGS IF YOU KNOW IF

47:53THERE'S SOME DEFINITE SPIRIT

47:54AND THEN THEN WE HAVE THE

47:56FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE WHO.

47:57DO IT DO A YEOMAN'S JOB.

47:59YEAH.

48:01>> OF OF TRYING TO BRING

48:02RESOURCES TO THE SCHOOL.

48:04SO I GUESS I WOULD SAY THAT

48:06WHEN I LOOK AT THE HURLEY

48:07SCHOOL I SAY, WELL WHY ARE

48:11THERE SO MANY RESOURCES AT

48:12HURLEY?

48:13AND SO THEY RAISE $100,000 A

48:14YEAR FOR THE SCHOOL ITSELF.

48:16UH, AND WHY WHY SO I GUESS IT'S

48:19A LONG WAY OF SAYING I THINK WE

48:21CAN SOMEHOW BOLSTER THE.

48:22FRIENDS OF BLACKSTONE AND

48:24ADVERTISE.

48:24THE MORE.

48:25I KNOW THAT THEY'RE AT ONE

48:27POINT LAST YEAR WE INVITED THEM

48:28TO THE SOUTH BEND FORUM.

48:29THEY WERE GOING TO COME I THINK

48:31IF WE COULD JUST BOLSTER THEM

48:32AND AND BOOST BOOST THEM

48:34ECONOMICALLY AND JUST

48:36SPIRITUALLY TO KIND OF GET THEM

48:37GOING.

48:37AND I THINK.

48:39THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THEM TO

48:41ALSO FOCUSED ON THE ON THE POOL

48:43ITSELF.

48:43I THINK THEY COULD BE A HUGE

48:44ASSET OR A NUMBER OF WONDERFUL

48:46PEOPLE ON THAT ORGANIZATION.

48:47BUT I WENT TO A FUNDRAISER FOR

48:49THEM AND I'M JUST GONNA BE

48:50HONEST THE THE THE GOAL WAS

48:51LIKE $5,000 FOR THE HURLEY THE

48:54SCHOOL IS $100,000.

48:55BUT I DO HAVE A STORY.

48:57THAT I LISTEN I LISTEN TO THE

48:59ELDERS.

49:00UM UH.

49:01PEOPLE OLDER.

49:02>> THAN ME I SHOULD SAY AT THIS

49:03POINT THAT BUT BUT.

49:05THEY LISTEN.

49:06>> TO FOLKS AND THEY SAY THAT

49:09HURLEY SCHOOL WAS ONCE SIMILAR

49:12TO BLACKSTONE IN TERMS OF.

49:14NEEDING MORE RESOURCES.

49:16AND SO IF WE.

49:18IF WE SORT OF.

49:19LOOK AT IT AS WE DID IT.

49:21WITH HURLEY, WE PUT IN A PARENT

49:22TEACHER ORGANIZATION, WE.

49:23PUT IN THE RESOURCES.

49:24THERE'S SO MUCH FOCUS SO KNOW I

49:27DON'T WANT TO CO-MINGLE THE.

49:28SCHOOL WITH THE.

49:29DCF CENTER.

49:30BUT I DO THINK THEY'RE SOMEWHAT

49:31RELATED AND I.

49:32THINK A.

49:33TACTICAL THING WE CAN DO.

49:35IS PUT SOME ENERGY AND SUPPORT

49:37BEHIND THE FRIENDS OF BLACK.

49:40.

49:41>> THANK YOU.

49:41THANK YOU JOHN.

49:43UM I DO WANT TO ASK UM A.

49:47QUICK QUESTION TO MY.

49:48TO MY FRIEND JONATHAN AS WELL.

49:51JONATHAN WHAT YOU WHAT YOU.

49:54HIGHLIGHTED AT THE BEGINNING

49:55REALLY RESONATED WITH ME IS YOU

49:58SAID YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE MANY

50:02FAMILIES AND THE BLACKS IN THE

50:04SOUTH AND DON'T HAVE THE

50:06ABILITY.

50:07TO TAKE THEIR.

50:08KIDS TO PRIVATE SWIMMING

50:09LESSONS AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS

50:13IT'S THE JOB OF GOVERNMENT TO

50:15STEP IN TO PROVIDE THAT

50:18CRITICAL SUPPORT.

50:18I BELIEVE I WAS FORTUNATE

50:21ENOUGH MY WIFE AND I WERE

50:22FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEND OUR

50:23KIDS TO PRIVATE SWIMMING

50:25LESSONS.

50:26UM, I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S

50:29CRITICAL THAT EVERY KID

50:30REGARDLESS OF IF YOU HAVE ANY

50:33MONEY YOU SHOULD GET SWIMMING

50:35LESSONS.

50:36YOU SHOULD HAVE A SAFE PLACE

50:37TO, UH, SWIM IN A BCI FACILITY.

50:42UM, AND I KNOW THE IMPORTANT

50:44WORK YOU ARE DOING.

50:45JONATHAN.

50:46WHAT CAN WE DO?

50:47WHAT CAN YOU DO.

50:49AS A COMMUNITY LEADER.

50:50TO ENSURE THAT WE STAY ENGAGED?

50:53WE STAY.

50:54>> ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE.

50:55BUT WE ALSO.

50:57EDUCATE MORE PEOPLE ABOUT

50:58WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS

51:00FACILITY.

51:00AND I KNOW YOU CONTINUE TO DO

51:02THAT BUT JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT

51:03YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ARE.

51:05UH I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

51:07UM I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT

51:09THEN I'LL OFFER SOME IDEAS.

51:11UH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

51:14MANY FAMILIES IN THE SOUTH AND

51:15ROXBURY DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS

51:18TO ACCESS PRIVATE SWIM LESSONS

51:21OR PRIVATE FACILITIES.

51:23UM, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY

51:24SPEAKS PERSONALLY TO ME.

51:26UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I AM

51:28THE, YOU KNOW, SON OF AN

51:30IMMIGRANT FATHER WHO WAS ONE

51:31OF NINE WHO CAME OVER AND FROM

51:34PORTUGAL IN THE 1960S.

51:37MY GRANDPARENTS TOOK NINE KIDS

51:38OVER HERE.

51:39UH, THEY WERE ILLITERATE.

51:41MY FATHER HAD A FOURTH GRADE

51:42EDUCATION AND YOU KNOW, THEY

51:44WORKED TRADITIONAL JOBS FROM

51:46FIRST GEN PEOPLE.

51:47RIGHT.

51:48UH, JUST TRYING TO MAKE THEIR

51:50WAY.

51:52MY FATHER HAD THREE SONS.

51:53I'M THE OLDEST OF THREE.

51:55UH, AND HE DID HIS BEST TO

51:57CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

51:59UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE PRIVATE

52:01LESSONS, BUT WE HAD ACCESS

52:03WHERE I GREW UP IN CENTRAL MASS

52:05TO SOME SWIMMING PLACES AND WE

52:06WOULD GO THERE AND HE DIDN'T

52:08EVEN REALLY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

52:09BUT YOU KNOW, CONNECTED WITH

52:11SOME PEOPLE.

52:11AND NOW HE HAS THREE SONS WHO

52:14TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON,

52:17UH, WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

52:19AND A YOUNGER BROTHER WHO RUNS

52:20PLANNING FOR THE CITY

52:21OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

52:22SO IT'S A IN SOME WAYS A

52:24SUCCESS STORY FOR IMMIGRATION

52:26AND OPPORTUNITY REALLY AND YOU

52:29KNOW, EVEN HIS PARENTS, UH,

52:33ALWAYS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW,

52:35COMING FROM A DICTATORSHIP ERA

52:37PORTUGAL THERE'S VERY LITTLE

52:38OPPORTUNITIES THAT EDUCATION UH

52:42,IS THE EQUALIZER AND THAT HAS

52:45ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME BECAUSE

52:48YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU

52:49GIVE KIDS A FAIR SHOT AND A

52:52CHANCE WHAT THEY CAN DO

52:54REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR

52:55BACKGROUND IS.

52:56NOBODY NOBODY CHOOSES TO BE

52:57BORN.

52:58YOU'RE BORN INTO WHAT YOU'RE

52:59BORN INTO.

53:01BUT IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE AND

53:02YOU HAVE A FOUNDATION YOU KNOW

53:06YOU CAN YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL

53:07AND I'M LIVING PROOF OF THAT

53:08AND MY BROTHERS ARE PROOF

53:09OF THAT.

53:11SO THE POOL, THE COMMUNITY

53:13CENTER THIS IS ABOUT EQUAL

53:15OPPORTUNITY.

53:16THIS IS ABOUT GIVING KIDS A

53:17CHANCE, UH, TO MAKE IT AND DO

53:20GOOD THINGS.

53:21UH, AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, WHAT

53:24I WOULD SAY WE CAN DO, UH, A

53:27MORE FOCUSED JOB AROUND IS

53:31USING OUR NEW PLATFORM AS A

53:33COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD

53:34ASSOCIATION THAT HAS A LARGE

53:35FOOTPRINT TO KEEP THIS ISSUE

53:37FRONT AND CENTER TO MAKE SURE

53:40THAT WE HAVE A CONTINUED, UH,

53:42ELECTED REPRESENTATION ON OUR

53:44CALLS, WHICH WE HISTORICALLY

53:46HAVE.

53:46SO I THINK, YOU KNOW,

53:47COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, UH, FLYNN

53:49MURPHY, REP MORAN, STEVE FOX

53:51AND THE FORUM FOR BEING THERE,

53:54UH, HELPING TO USE OUR PLATFORM

53:56TO ELEVATE THE ORGANIZATIONS

53:57LIKE THE FRIENDS OF BLACKSTONE

53:59SCHOOL BECAUSE I DO THINK THEY

54:00ARE CONNECTED AS REP MORAN SAID

54:01.

54:02AND STEVE SAID, UH, THE OTHER

54:04THING THAT UH, HAS UH SURPRISED

54:08ME AND MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE

54:09BUT UH, MANY OF US ARE WELL

54:11AWARE OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOL

54:13THAT OPENED IN THE SOUTH END

54:15UNDER THE THE CROFT AND THE

54:16ISSUES THAT HAPPENED THERE AND

54:17NOW THE NEW SCHOOL SOUTH AND

54:18VILLAGE ACADEMY UH, WHO JUST

54:21GOT SOME ZONING APPROVAL TO

54:23REMAIN UH THE PLACE ON 1511

54:25WASHINGTON I WOULD LIKE TO SAY

54:27THAT UH THAT ORGANIZATION WHEN

54:30THE SCHOOL IS IN FINANCIAL

54:30TROUBLE TO RESTART RALLIED A

54:32LOT OF PARENTS.

54:34YEAH AND A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP

54:37IT GOING AND TO STAY AND WHAT

54:41POTENTIALLY STARTED OFF AS A

54:42LITTLE BIT OF A ROCKY

54:43RELATIONSHIP I THINK IS

54:44ACTUALLY STARTED TO UM STARTED

54:49TO IMPROVE.

54:50MANY OF THE LETTERS THAT CAME

54:51IN TODAY WERE FROM PARENTS AND

54:53ADMINISTRATION FROM THE SOUTH

54:55BEND VILLAGE ACADEMY.

54:56YOU KNOW THEY HAVE KIDS TO

54:58THEIR RESIDENTS NOW MAYBE THEIR

55:01BACKGROUNDS ARE DIFFERENT THAN

55:01SOME OF THE OTHER KIDS BUT THEY

55:03HAVE RESOURCES AND UH, I'VE

55:07COMMUNICATED WITH THEIR HEAD

55:08OF SCHOOL AND THEY'RE COMMITTED

55:09TO THIS TO SO I THINK LEANING

55:12ON THE SOUTH BEND VILLAGE

55:13ACADEMY AND THE NETWORK THAT

55:15THEY HAVE WHETHER IT'S UH

55:19FUNDING OR UH EXPERTISE COULD

55:23BE SOMETHING THAT THAT WE COULD

55:25WE COULD LEVERAGE UM BECAUSE

55:27I'VE BEEN PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH

55:29THE RALLYING THAT THAT THEY DID

55:31WITH A PRETTY SHORT NOTICE UH,

55:34TO PUT ATTENTION ON THIS UM,

55:36AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO TO

55:38THE FACT OF EQUALITY.

55:39I MEAN, MAYBE THOSE KIDS HAVE

55:42PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT THEY CAN

55:43GO TO.

55:43MAYBE THEY DON'T BUT THEY

55:45RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF UH

55:47OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

55:50SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, I THINK

55:53WHAT I CAN DO IS CONTINUE TO

55:55USE MY PLATFORM IN CONJUNCTION

55:57WITH THE SOUTH END FORUM TO

56:00ELEVATE UH, THE FRIENDS GROUPS.

56:03I THINK THAT WE CAN UH,

56:06LEVERAGE OUR CONNECTIONS WITH

56:08PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS LIKE THIS

56:10OR I THINK THEY'RE NONPROFIT

56:11NOW BUT SOUTHERN VILLAGE

56:12ACADEMY AND TAP INTO SOME

56:14OF THOSE RESOURCES BECAUSE I

56:16THINK THE MONEY IS THERE.

56:17I THINK THE TALENT IS THERE.

56:19WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THE UH,

56:21FOOT ON THE GAS AND KEEP THIS

56:23ISSUE FRONT AND CENTER AND GET

56:24THIS DONE.

56:24I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO IT.

56:26SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

56:27WELL WELL THANK.

56:28>> YOU JONATHAN AND I'M GOING

56:29TO PASS IT ALONG TO MY OTHER

56:31COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE

56:33OR IF THAT'S UP TO THE CHAIR TO

56:34SEE IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.

56:35BUT I DO WANT TO LET STEVE KNOW

56:38AND JONATHAN KNOW AND UH, THE

56:40REPRESENTATIVE NO UM LATER

56:42LATER IN THIS HEARING I WILL

56:44READ INTO THE RECORD UM, A

56:46LETTER FROM VANESSA CALLED THE

56:48RHONE WHO'S THE, UH, PRESIDENT

56:51OF IBA.

56:52I'M GOING TO READ INTO THE

56:53RECORD A LETTER OF SUPPORT AS

56:56WELL FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AS

57:01YOU MENTIONED, JONATHAN AT THE

57:02SOUTH END VILLAGE ACADEMY,

57:05CHRISTINA LOPEZ AND I'M GOING

57:07TO BE SPEAKING WITH HER LATER

57:08THIS AFTERNOON.

57:09I ALSO HAVE A LETTER I'M GOING

57:11TO READ INTO THE RECORD FROM

57:13THE FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE

57:15SCHOOL AS WELL.

57:17UM, AND FROM THE PRESIDENT

57:20OF THE SOCCER UNITY PROJECT.

57:23UM I HAVE OTHER LETTERS BUT IN

57:26THE INTEREST OF TIME I'M ONLY

57:27GOING TO READ THESE FOR LATER

57:29ON IN THE HEARING.

57:30BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU

57:31THREE KNOW THAT, UH, I AGREE

57:33WITH YOU.

57:33THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT IN

57:35THIS COMMUNITY FOR US GOING

57:37FORWARD AND WHAT I'M GOING TO

57:39DO JUST SO YOU THREE KNOW, IS

57:43WE'LL CONTINUE HAVING THIS

57:45MEETING.

57:46UM, BUT AT SOME POINT, UM,

57:49MAYBE MAYBE IN NOVEMBER I THINK

57:52WE HAVE TO RECONVENE WITH THE

57:54CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGAIN WITH

57:56PUBLIC WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

57:58THERE, UH, WITH THE SUPPORT

58:00OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WITH THE

58:02SUPPORT OF CITY OFFICIALS, UM,

58:05SUPPORT OF YOURSELF AS WELL.

58:06HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WHERE WE

58:08CAN DISCUSS THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE

58:12AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

58:14AND I THINK PART OF HOW WE MOVE

58:16FORWARD IS EFFECTIVELY

58:19COMMUNICATING, BEING RESPECTFUL

58:20TO EACH OTHER AND ENSURING THAT

58:23THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET SO

58:24WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO TO FIX

58:27THE POOL.

58:28I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE

58:31IF WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING TO

58:32FIXING THE POOL WE CAN GET IT

58:34DONE.

58:35I'M CONFIDENT OF THAT.

58:37BUT IF WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT

58:38DONE AND WE WANT TO GIVE

58:39EXCUSES OF WHY WE CAN'T UH GET

58:42IT DONE THEN THAT'S THAT'S

58:43ANOTHER AVENUE THAT PEOPLE CAN

58:45TAKE BUT THAT'S NOT THE AVENUE

58:46I'M GOING TO TAKE.

58:48UM BUT I'M GOING TO DO

58:49EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN TO

58:51GET THIS POOL REOPENED AND I

58:54WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO

58:55JONATHAN.

58:56I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO

58:57STEVE AND I WANT TO SAY THANK

58:59YOU TO JOHN AS WELL FOR, UH,

59:01BEING STRONG LEADERS AND

59:04TREMENDOUS ADVOCATES FOR THE

59:05SOUTH END.

59:06UM, I'M GOING TO GIVE UM GIVE

59:08IT BACK TO THE CHAIR.

59:09THANK YOU.

59:11COUNCILOR FLYNN.

59:12I DID JUST ALSO WANT TO

59:15REITERATE AS THE CHAIR OF THE

59:18COMMITTEE WHICH WILL HOLD

59:19HEARINGS ON.

59:21POOLS AND COMMUNITY.

59:22CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY THAT

59:24I'M ALSO COMMITTED BECAUSE

59:25SEEING AS THOUGH THE

59:26ADMINISTRATION CHOSE TO.

59:28SCHEDULE AFTER THIS WAS ALREADY

59:29NOTICED AND THEY WERE INVITED A

59:31CELEBRATION.

59:32THAT WE WILL.

59:33KEEP THIS IN COMMITTEE AND

59:35RESCHEDULE A HEARING AND.

59:36IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH IT AND I

59:38KNOW COUNCIL.

59:38FITZGERALD YOU ARE ALSO A LEAD

59:40SPONSOR HAVING THIS NEXT

59:42MEETING IN THE COMMUNITY WE CAN

59:44HAVE IT EITHER AT THE

59:45BLACKSTONE SCHOOL I KNOW LAST

59:47YEAR WE.

59:48GOT A WELL ATTENDED MEETING.

59:49WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

59:51YOU KNOW, THE MASS AND CASS.

59:53ISSUES THERE.

59:54>> SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT

59:55THAT WE HAVE IT IN THE EVENING

59:56IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE SO

59:58MANY PEOPLE LIKE YOU MENTIONED

59:59ARE AT WORK AND NOT ABLE TO BE

1:00:01HERE.

1:00:01AND I THINK.

1:00:02THAT TO GET.

1:00:04THE ATTENTION OF MANY WHO SEEM

1:00:06TO THINK THAT THIS MAY NOT BE

1:00:08WORTH THEIR POLITICAL CAPITAL

1:00:10TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS RESOURCE

1:00:12THAT'S SO NEEDED IN THIS

1:00:13COMMUNITY THAT.

1:00:15IF WE SHOW THAT PEOPLE WILL

1:00:16SHOW UP.

1:00:16AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL DO

1:00:19SO WELL AND JUST QUICKLY WANT

1:00:22TO MENTION LAST I THINK IT WAS

1:00:24JUST LAST YEAR WHEN.

1:00:24>> WE WERE.

1:00:25CELEBRATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

1:00:27GROUPS KIND.

1:00:28>> OF FORMING TOGETHER.

1:00:28YOU INDIVIDUALLY.

1:00:30DO GREAT WORK BUT ALSO.

1:00:31>> KNOW THAT WHEN YOU COME

1:00:32TOGETHER MORE CAN GET DONE.

1:00:34I THINK I'VE QUICKLY TOLD THIS

1:00:36STORY UM.

1:00:37HOW BACK WHEN MY.

1:00:39GRANDMOTHER AND.

1:00:40GRANDFATHER UM STARTED THE HILL

1:00:43NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

1:00:44BACK IN THE.

1:00:4560S AND KNEW THAT THAT LANDFILL

1:00:48IN DUMP THERE WHICH IS NOW THE

1:00:50MURPHY SCHOOL AND PLAYGROUNDS

1:00:52YOU KNOW, BASEBALL YESTERDAY

1:00:53THERE WAS JUST.

1:00:54THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE

1:00:56UPGRADES THAT THE STATE FUNDED

1:00:57FOR THE PLAYGROUND THERE WE

1:00:59HAVE BASEBALL FIELDS BUT IT'S

1:01:01THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE

1:01:02SCHOOL WHICH WAS GOING TO BE

1:01:04IGNORED AND THEY WERE NEVER

1:01:05GOING TO BUILD A SCHOOL IN A

1:01:07COMMUNITY CENTER IN THAT

1:01:08NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:01:09AND MY GRANDFATHER REALIZED

1:01:11THAT HE.

1:01:11NEEDED TO WORK.

1:01:12WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

1:01:13SO HE CREATED WHICH IS STILL

1:01:15AROUND DUNA, WHICH WAS THE

1:01:16DORCHESTER UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD

1:01:18ASSOCIATION, YOU KNOW, BRINGING

1:01:20TOGETHER.

1:01:21COMMUNITY PEOPLE AND REALLY

1:01:22GETTING CITY HALL TO LISTEN.

1:01:24AND IT'S SOMETHING I KNOW YOU

1:01:25IN THE SOUTH END DO YOU SPEND

1:01:28AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME?

1:01:30NO, DON'T I KNOW WE'RE HERE TO

1:01:31TALK ABOUT THE BLACKSTONE IN

1:01:32THE POOL, BUT I THINK.

1:01:34FOR ME AS AN AT-LARGE

1:01:37COUNCILOR LIKE I.

1:01:38WANT IT TO BE ON THE RECORD.

1:01:40THAT THE COUNCILORS WHO ARE.

1:01:42HERE WHO REPRESENT.

1:01:43>> THE SOUTH END BUT ALL OF YOU

1:01:44WHO SHOW.

1:01:46>> UP EVERY DAY, YOU HAVE A.

1:01:47LOT GOING ON IN THE SALT THEN

1:01:49RIGHT WITH.

1:01:49THE RECOVERY.

1:01:50ISSUES WITH THE MASS AND CAST

1:01:52ISSUE AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS

1:01:54ARE SPENT MONTHLY I BET JUST

1:01:56TRYING TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY

1:01:58BETTER AND THE CITY SHOULD NOT

1:02:00TURN THEIR BACK ON SOMETHING

1:02:01LIKE A SCHOOL AND A POOL LIKE

1:02:04THAT TO ME EVEN THOUGH IT COSTS

1:02:06MONEY IT IT WOULD BE SUCH A

1:02:08POSITIVE IMPACT.

1:02:09I DO BEFORE I PASS IT BACK.

1:02:12TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.

1:02:13MISS WANT TO STATE.

1:02:14SOME OF THAT CAPITAL FUNDING?

1:02:16AS YOU KNOW OUR CAPITAL.

1:02:18FUNDING COMES OUT FOR.

1:02:19FIVE YEAR INCREMENTS.

1:02:20SO WHEN IT WAS THE.

1:02:222428 PUBLISHED PLAN, THERE WAS

1:02:26A $2.

1:02:27>> MILLION.

1:02:27POOL PROJECT SHOWN.

1:02:28FOR THE BLACKSTONE AND THE 25

1:02:32FY 29.

1:02:33CAPITAL BUDGET.

1:02:34>> THERE WAS A.

1:02:342 MILLION AUTHORIZED WITH

1:02:36500,000 EXISTING IN 1.5

1:02:39MILLION.

1:02:39ADDED IN.

1:02:40THE 2630 CAPITAL.

1:02:43PLAN PUBLISHED FOR THE

1:02:44BLACKSTONE POOL.

1:02:45IT'S A 2 MILLION AUTHORIZED.

1:02:47THE REVISED TABLE SHOWED ZERO

1:02:49PLANNED.

1:02:50ON THE 2526 YEARS.

1:02:52IN BOTH PROJECTS STILL TO BE

1:02:55SCHEDULED WITH NO ACTUAL

1:02:57SPENDING AT THAT POINT.

1:02:59AND WHEN.

1:02:59>> YOU LOOK AT THE 27.

1:03:01THROUGH 31 FDI.

1:03:03CAPITAL PLAN, THERE WAS NO.

1:03:05BLACKSTONE POOL PROJECT.

1:03:06>> THAT APPEARS.

1:03:08>> AT.

1:03:08ALL IN THE PROFILE.

1:03:09SO THE MISSION AND THE STUDY

1:03:11WE'RE.

1:03:12>> NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED BUT

1:03:13IT DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE THE

1:03:15.

1:03:16CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE NEXT

1:03:17FIVE YEARS.

1:03:18SO WE NEED TO GET IT IN THE

1:03:20BUDGET WE NEED TO ADVOCATE.

1:03:22WE NEED TO.

1:03:23YOU KNOW, TRACK DOWN THE.

1:03:24MONEY AND.

1:03:26MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY.

1:03:28GETS WHAT THEY DESERVE.

1:03:29UM THAT BEING SAID I WILL PASS.

1:03:31>> IT OFF TO

1:03:32COUNCIL FITZGERALD.

1:03:33>> AND THEN.

1:03:34COULD I.

1:03:36>> MADAM CHAIR I JUST WANT TO

1:03:37HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, REVEREND

1:03:39COLE PEPPER UM, DID HAVE AN

1:03:41EMERGENCY.

1:03:42HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.

1:03:44HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB

1:03:46ADVOCATING AND SUPPORTING THE

1:03:47RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END IN

1:03:49ROXBURY.

1:03:49BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT

1:03:52HE IS NOT HERE BECAUSE OF AN

1:03:54EMERGENCY.

1:03:55UM, WITH WITH WITH THE, UH, A

1:03:58LOVED ONE IN HIS, UM, COMMUNITY

1:04:00PARISH.

1:04:01UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PASS

1:04:03THAT ON.

1:04:03THANK YOU.

1:04:03THANK YOU FOR THAT.

1:04:04AND I.

1:04:05OFTEN REFERRED TO HIM AS.

1:04:06REVEREND CULPEPER, NOT

1:04:08COUNCILOR CULPEPER.

1:04:08>> AND HE DID MENTION.

1:04:10YESTERDAY AT THE

1:04:11COUNCIL MEETING THAT HE HAD TO

1:04:12UM NOT HAVE TO BUT WAS GOING TO

1:04:14BE AT A FUNERAL MASS AND I

1:04:16THINK UM SENDING OUR PRAYERS

1:04:18TO.

1:04:18CULPEPER AND KNOW THAT HE IS A.

1:04:20STRONG ADVOCATE.

1:04:21SO THANK YOU FOR THAT

1:04:22COUNCILOR.

1:04:22>> FOR SURE.

1:04:23THANK YOU CHAIR I DON'T HAVE

1:04:24ANY QUESTIONS BUT I DO JUST

1:04:26WANT TO UH, THROW MY SUPPORT

1:04:27BEHIND THE SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY

1:04:29AS I ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS

1:04:30WILL.

1:04:31UM, WE'VE GOT THREE GREAT FOLKS

1:04:32UP HERE, UH, REPRESENTING

1:04:33COMMUNITY.

1:04:34I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, UH, OUR

1:04:35STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN MORAN

1:04:37FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF WHAT

1:04:39I KNOW WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS

1:04:40BUSY SCHEDULE CAN BE TO COME

1:04:41AND TALK ABOUT A POOL.

1:04:43UH, BUT KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE

1:04:45OF THAT, UH, AND STEVE FOR

1:04:47ALWAYS BEING INVOLVED AND

1:04:48OBVIOUSLY JOHN FOR THE GREAT

1:04:49WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND IN

1:04:51GATHERING THE COMMUNITY

1:04:52TOGETHER TO BE A STRONGER

1:04:53VOICE.

1:04:53SO UH, JUST TO I SAY YOU GUYS

1:04:55DONE A GREAT JOB.

1:04:55YOU'RE PUTTING THE WORK IN THAT

1:04:57WORK SHOULD BE SUPPORTED.

1:04:58WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

1:04:59UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO

1:05:01FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE

1:05:02YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL

1:05:04AS ADULTS, ELDERS AND ANYONE

1:05:05ELSE WHO USES A POOL.

1:05:06UH, HAS ACCESS.

1:05:07>> TO THAT AMENITY.

1:05:08THANK YOU.

1:05:09THANK YOU.

1:05:10>> COUNCIL I JUST WANT TO CHECK

1:05:11IS ANYONE.

1:05:13ON OKAY, SO.

1:05:14>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER

1:05:15PUBLIC.

1:05:16TESTIMONY.

1:05:17>> IF ANYONE WANTED TO HAVE ANY

1:05:18CLOSING.

1:05:18STATEMENTS I'LL START WITH THE

1:05:20PANELIST.

1:05:20YOU CAN.

1:05:22OKAY.

1:05:23>> UM.

1:05:24>> UM, REP MORAN, DO YOU HAVE

1:05:26ANY.

1:05:26CLOSING STATEMENTS?

1:05:27OKAY.

1:05:29>> UH, COUNSELOR.

1:05:30>> NO, I'M I'M SORRY TO THANK

1:05:31YOU.

1:05:31AND I JUST WANT TO THANK

1:05:32EVERYBODY AGAIN FOR, UM FOR

1:05:34MAKING SOME TIME TODAY AND I DO

1:05:36THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA

1:05:37TO DO AN ONSITE, UH, AN

1:05:39ADDITIONAL ON SITE HEARING.

1:05:40UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING

1:05:42THE TIME.

1:05:43I KNOW YOU GOT A BIG CITY TO,

1:05:45UH, YOU KNOW, RUN AS AN AT

1:05:47LARGE COUNCILOR.

1:05:47YOU'VE GOT AN ENTIRE CITY.

1:05:49SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE

1:05:50TIME FOCUSING ON THE SOUTH END

1:05:52AS WELL.

1:05:53OF COURSE.

1:05:53>> NO THANK YOU.

1:05:53UM.

1:05:54STEVE, DO YOU HAVE TO CLOSE?

1:05:57UH, NOT REALLY A CLOSING

1:05:58STATEMENT.

1:05:58JUST ONE ADDITIONAL, UM, PIECE

1:06:01OF THIS PUZZLE.

1:06:02UM, THAT, UM THAT I WANTED TO

1:06:05MENTION WHEN WE LOST THE

1:06:07HARRIET TUBMAN HOUSE AT 566

1:06:09COLUMBUS AVENUE.

1:06:11WE LOST ONE OF THE GATHERING

1:06:13SPOTS WHERE KIDS AND SENIORS

1:06:15AND OTHERS GATHERED.

1:06:17NOW THE USES HAS DONE A GREAT

1:06:19JOB, UH, AT THEIR NEW RUTLAND

1:06:20STREET FACILITY, UH, TO MAKING

1:06:23UP FOR WHAT WE LOST, UM, AT THE

1:06:26AT THE 566 COLUMBUS LOCATION.

1:06:29BUT, UM, I WANT TO BE CLEAR

1:06:31THAT UH THAT BUILDING WHICH IS

1:06:34NOW, YOU KNOW, GREAT HOUSING,

1:06:35UH, IN THE SOUTH END, UM, WAS

1:06:39REALLY A GATHERING SPOT AND THE

1:06:41BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER AND

1:06:43THAT POOL, YOU KNOW, UM, SHOULD

1:06:46HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THE GAP

1:06:48BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE

1:06:50PROBLEMS AND A CLOSED POOL HAVE

1:06:52NOT ALLOWED US TO BE ABLE TO

1:06:54FILL THE GAP.

1:06:56SO IN ADDITION TO THE LACK

1:06:58OF PUBLIC FACILITIES, WE ALSO

1:07:00HAVE THE LACK OF PRIVATE

1:07:02FACILITIES WITHIN THE SOUTH END

1:07:04THAT'S PUTTING AN EVEN BIGGER

1:07:05SQUEEZE ON US IN THE SOUTH END

1:07:07IN TERMS OF OUR FACILITY

1:07:09DESERT.

1:07:09SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT

1:07:11THAT WAS CLEAR AS WELL.

1:07:12THANKS VERY MUCH.

1:07:13REALLY APPRECIATE THIS CHAIR.

1:07:15THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR

1:07:16GETTING THAT.

1:07:17ON THE RECORD.

1:07:18IT'S IMPORTANT.

1:07:20TO KNOW WHAT.

1:07:21>> OTHER RESOURCES AND JONATHAN

1:07:22.

1:07:22>> YOU MENTIONED WHEN.

1:07:23OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND

1:07:25OFTENTIMES WE'RE.

1:07:26ADVOCATING AND AS.

1:07:27>> AN AT.

1:07:28LARGE COUNCIL I DO ADVOCATE FOR

1:07:29ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT FOR

1:07:30SAY A COMMUNITY.

1:07:31CENTER OR A POOL.

1:07:32WHEN WE DO HAVE OTHERS MAYBE

1:07:35IT'S A Y OR ANOTHER BCF BUT IN

1:07:38THE SOUTH END IT REALLY IS.

1:07:39>> YOU CALLED IT A DESERT,

1:07:40RIGHT?

1:07:40WE TALK.

1:07:41>> ABOUT FOOD DESERTS WHEN WE

1:07:42DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW,

1:07:43APPROPRIATE FOOD MARKETS AROUND

1:07:45BUT THERE IS A INFRASTRUCTURE.

1:07:48DESERT IN THE SOUTH END AND

1:07:49IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO

1:07:51SOMETHING ABOUT THAT FOR THE

1:07:52COMMUNITY.

1:07:53SO UM.

1:07:54JONATHAN, IF YOU'D.

1:07:55>> LIKE TO.

1:07:56CLOSE OUT OR.

1:07:57SHARE I'LL BE BRIEF.

1:07:59UM I JUST WANT TO THANK

1:08:01COUNCILOR FLYNN, CHAIR MURPHY,

1:08:03UH, REP FITZGERALD,

1:08:06REPRESENTATIVE JOHN MORAN,

1:08:08STEVE FOX FROM THE SOUTH END

1:08:09FORUM, UH, FOR MAKING THIS A

1:08:12PRIORITY, UH, FOR BEING HERE

1:08:14TODAY TO ADVOCATE UM, I BELIEVE

1:08:19THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON

1:08:21THIS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN

1:08:24ACHIEVE A DESIRABLE OUTCOME.

1:08:27I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH

1:08:28TALENT, RESOURCES AND ENERGY TO

1:08:30DO IT.

1:08:31UH, SO I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING

1:08:34WITH EACH ONE OF YOU TO DO

1:08:35THAT.

1:08:36UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE

1:08:38PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO, UH,

1:08:40SOME FAIRLY LAST MINUTE THAT

1:08:43WROTE IN LETTERS AND UH,

1:08:46OFFERED TESTIMONY UM,

1:08:49SPECIFICALLY UH EBA AND VANESSA

1:08:51CALLE THEIR OWN.

1:08:52WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OVER THERE?

1:08:54UM, I WANT TO THANK THE SOUTH

1:08:56END VILLAGE ACADEMY CHRISTINA

1:08:57LOPEZ FOR NOT ONLY PERSONALLY

1:08:59WRITING A TESTIMONY AS A SOUTH

1:09:01END PARENT BUT ALSO ON BEHALF

1:09:02OF THE SCHOOL AND PUTTING THIS

1:09:04INFORMATION IN THEIR

1:09:05NEWSLETTER.

1:09:06UH, DAVID RUSSELL OF THE

1:09:08BLACKSTONE UM SCHOOL FRIENDS

1:09:10GROUP AS WELL AS THE

1:09:12ADMINISTRATION OF BLACKSTONE

1:09:13SCHOOL UH AND SEVERAL HURLEY

1:09:15SCHOOL PARENTS THAT I TALKED TO

1:09:17THAT ALSO SENT LETTERS AND UM I

1:09:20APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU DOING

1:09:21THAT ESPECIALLY ON A LITTLE BIT

1:09:23OF A TIME CONSTRAINT BUT IT

1:09:24MATTERS AND IT'S ON THE RECORD.

1:09:27UM, I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK

1:09:29THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW COULDN'T

1:09:30BE HERE TODAY.

1:09:31A LOT OF THE FOLKS FROM UH,

1:09:34CERTAIN COMMUNITIES,

1:09:35MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT

1:09:36UH THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BUT

1:09:38YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING RIGHT

1:09:39NOW.

1:09:39THEY DON'T HAVE THE THE LUXURY

1:09:42THAT THAT SOME OF US DO AND

1:09:44FLEXIBILITY IN OUR SCHEDULE TO

1:09:46TO TESTIFY AND BE HERE.

1:09:47BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE

1:09:49BEHIND THIS AND I WANT TO MAKE

1:09:50SURE THEIR VOICES ARE

1:09:51AMPLIFIED.

1:09:52UM WE'RE HERE FOR THEM AS WELL.

1:09:54AND I THINK THE IN-PERSON

1:09:56MEETING I THINK IN NOVEMBER

1:09:57WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.

1:10:00UM, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO

1:10:01RALLY AS MUCH SUPPORT FOR THAT

1:10:03MEETING AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN

1:10:05HAVE A A BIG, BIG FOCUS.

1:10:07UH, I KNOW THAT THE

1:10:10ADMINISTRATION CAN DO BETTER ON

1:10:11THIS.

1:10:12UM, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,

1:10:15IF WE KEEP THE FOCUS ON THIS

1:10:18ISSUE AND WE GET THE FOCUS ON

1:10:20THIS COMMUNITY, WE WILL BE

1:10:22SUCCESSFUL.

1:10:23SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND

1:10:25APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

1:10:26TESTIFY.

1:10:27THANK YOU.

1:10:27AND I WILL WORK WITH.

1:10:29COUNCILOR FLYNN AND ALL OF YOU

1:10:31TO SET THE BEST DATE AND

1:10:33LOCATION FOR THAT DEFINITELY

1:10:35BEFORE THE.

1:10:35YEAR OUT.

1:10:36>> SO COUNCIL FLYNN.

1:10:37IS NOW GOING TO.

1:10:38READ THOSE LETTERS THAT HE.

1:10:40MENTIONED EARLIER.

1:10:43TO HIGHLIGHT SOME IMPORTANT

1:10:44CONCERNS.

1:10:45YEAH RIGHT.

1:10:46WE GENERALLY DON'T HIGHLIGHT OR

1:10:49READ INTO THE RECORD LETTERS

1:10:51LETTERS OF SUPPORT BUT I I DO

1:10:54WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

1:10:56DO THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY

1:10:58ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

1:10:59THEY ARE.

1:11:00>> COMMUNITY PARTNERS THE

1:11:02WELL-RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY

1:11:03.

1:11:04AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT

1:11:05THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.

1:11:07UM, SO I, I DO WANT TO READ

1:11:09INTO THE RECORD A COUPLE

1:11:12OF LETTERS I LIKE JONATHAN

1:11:14MENTIONED I HAVE RECEIVED I

1:11:16DON'T KNOW, 2020 LETTERS, 30

1:11:19LETTERS UH, BUT I'M ONLY GOING

1:11:21TO READ IN A FEW OF THEM 3 OR 4

1:11:23OF THEM MAYBE THIS THIS LETTER

1:11:27IS FROM VANESSA CALDERON ROSADO

1:11:29PHD.

1:11:31UM AND SHE'S OBVIOUSLY

1:11:33ASSOCIATED UM SHE'S THE LEAD AT

1:11:35THE LEADERSHIP OF OF EBA WHICH

1:11:37IS THE ORGANIZING MANAGEMENT

1:11:41OF VILLA VICTORIA AND SOCIAL

1:11:44SERVICES ON BEHALF OF EBA, OUR

1:11:48BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN OUR

1:11:50COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS AT VILLA

1:11:51VICTORIA, I AM WRITING TO URGE

1:11:53THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE

1:11:55BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO

1:11:57PRIORITIZE THE REPAIR AND

1:11:59REOPENING OF THE POOL AT THE

1:12:00BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER IN

1:12:02THE SOUTH END FOR MORE THAN A

1:12:04DECADE THIS IMPORTANT COMMUNITY

1:12:05ASSET HAS REMAINED CLOSED,

1:12:08DEPRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD

1:12:09RESIDENTS OF A VITAL

1:12:11RECREATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL AND

1:12:13PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCE.

1:12:15THE PROLONGED CLOSURE OF THE

1:12:17BLACKSTONE POOL HAS HAD A

1:12:19SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON

1:12:21THE SOUTH END COMMUNITY,

1:12:22PARTICULARLY ON CHILDREN,

1:12:24FAMILIES, OLDER ADULTS, LOW

1:12:27INCOME RESIDENTS WHO DEPEND ON

1:12:28PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR

1:12:31RECREATION AND WELLNESS.

1:12:33SWIMMING IS NOT SIMPLY A

1:12:35LEISURELY ACTIVITY IT IS A

1:12:37LIFESAVING SKILL, AN EFFECTIVE

1:12:39FORM OF EXERCISE AND AN

1:12:41IMPORTANT OUTLET FOR YOUTH

1:12:43ENGAGEMENT.

1:12:44THE ABSENCE OF A LOCAL PUBLIC

1:12:45POOL HAS HAS LIMITED

1:12:48OPPORTUNITIES FOR SWIMMING

1:12:49LESSONS, WATER SAFETY,

1:12:50EDUCATION, PHYSICAL FITNESS AND

1:12:53STRUCTURED YOUTH PROGRAM FOR

1:12:55MANY FAMILIES IN THE SOUTH END

1:12:57INCLUDING FAMILIES IN THE

1:12:58VILLAGE VICTORIA TRAVELING TO

1:13:00PAUSE IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS

1:13:02CAN BE DIFFICULT DUE TO

1:13:04TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES, WORK

1:13:05SCHEDULES, CHILDCARE

1:13:07RESPONSIBILITIES.

1:13:08AS A RESULT, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE

1:13:10HAVE LOST ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE

1:13:12WATER ACTIVITIES ENTIRELY.

1:13:15THIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO

1:13:17INEQUITIES IN RECREATIONAL

1:13:19OPPORTUNITIES AND AS DEPRIVED

1:13:21GENERATIONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD

1:13:23CHILDREN HAVE THE CHANCE TO

1:13:25LEARN HOW TO SWIM CONFIDENTLY

1:13:26AND SAFELY, THE CLOSURE HAS

1:13:29ALSO DIMINISHED AN IMPORTANT

1:13:31GATHERING PLACE THAT ONCE

1:13:33HELPED STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY

1:13:35CONNECTIONS, COMMUNITY CENTERS

1:13:37AND FACILITIES PLAY A CRITICAL

1:13:40ROLE IN FOSTERING SOCIAL

1:13:42INTERACTION, SUPPORTING HEALTHY

1:13:44LIFESTYLES AND PROVIDING SAFE

1:13:46ENVIRONMENTS FOR RESIDENTS

1:13:47OF ALL AGES.

1:13:48THE LOSS OF THE BLACKSTONE POOL

1:13:50HAS LEFT A NOTICEABLE GAP IN

1:13:52THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES

1:13:54AVAILABLE TO SOUTH END

1:13:55RESIDENTS.

1:13:58REOPENING THE POOL WOULD

1:13:59PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS

1:14:01FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE

1:14:02CITY AS A WHOLE.

1:14:03IT WOULD EXPAND ACCESS TO

1:14:04PHYSICAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND

1:14:06HELP ADDRESS HEALTH, SOCIAL AND

1:14:09RECREATIONAL DISPARITIES.

1:14:11SWIMMING IS PARTICULARLY

1:14:12VALUABLE BECAUSE IT IS

1:14:14ACCESSIBLE ACROSS AGE GROUPS

1:14:15AND ABILITIES, OFFERING LOW

1:14:18IMPACT EXERCISE FOR SENIORS,

1:14:20REHABILITATION OPPORTUNITIES

1:14:22FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INJURIES

1:14:24IN HEALTHY RECREATION FOR

1:14:26CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

1:14:28FURTHERMORE, A RESTORED

1:14:29BLACKSTONE POOL COULD SERVE AS

1:14:31A HUB FOR SWIM LESSONS,

1:14:33LIFEGUARD TRAINING, YOUTH

1:14:35EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND

1:14:37COMMUNITY EVENTS.

1:14:37IT WOULD CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

1:14:40TO TEACH CRITICAL WATER SAFETY

1:14:42SKILLS, HELP REDUCE THE RISK

1:14:44OF DROWNING AND PROMOTING LIFE

1:14:45LONG HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

1:14:48INVESTMENT IN THE BLACKSTONE

1:14:49COMMUNITY POOL IS AN INVESTMENT

1:14:52IN EQUITY, HEALTH CARE, YOUTH

1:14:55DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD

1:14:57VITALITY.

1:14:57I'M GOING TO REPEAT THAT

1:14:58SENTENCE AGAIN INVESTMENT IN

1:15:00THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER

1:15:02POOL IS AN INVESTMENT IN EQUITY

1:15:04,PUBLIC HEALTH, YOUTH

1:15:06DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD

1:15:08VITALITY.

1:15:09THE SOUTH END DESERVES ACCESS

1:15:11TO THE SAME QUALITY RECREATION

1:15:13FACILITIES AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE

1:15:15IN BOSTON, AND RESIDENTS SHOULD

1:15:17NOT HAVE TO WAIT ANY LONGER FOR

1:15:19THE RETURN OF THIS ESSENTIAL

1:15:20RESOURCE.

1:15:23I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOSTON

1:15:24CITY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH THE

1:15:26MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE BOSTON

1:15:27CENTER FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES,

1:15:29COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND

1:15:31LOCAL RESIDENTS TO SECURE THE

1:15:32FUNDING AND SUPPORT NECESSARY

1:15:35TO REPAIR AND REOPEN THE

1:15:36BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY POOL AS

1:15:38SOON AS POSSIBLE.

1:15:39THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO

1:15:41THIS SUPPORT MATTER AND FOR

1:15:42YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE TO THE

1:15:44PEOPLE OF BOSTON.

1:15:45SINCERELY, VANESSA CALDERON

1:15:48ROSATO, PHD.

1:15:56MADAM CHAIR, WITH YOUR

1:15:58PERMISSION, MAY I CONTINUE

1:15:58PLEASE?

1:15:59OKAY.

1:16:01>> THIS LETTER THAT I'M ABOUT

1:16:03TO READ INTO THE RECORD IS A

1:16:04LETTER FROM CHRISTINA LOPEZ,

1:16:06THE FOUNDING HEAD OF SCHOOL

1:16:07SOUTH END VILLAGE ACADEMY.

1:16:11DEAR MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY

1:16:14COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HUMAN

1:16:14SERVICES I AM WRITING IN

1:16:17SUPPORT OF EFFORTS TO REPAIR

1:16:19AND REOPEN THE POOL AT THE

1:16:20BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER.

1:16:22AS A LIFELONG SHELTON RESIDENT

1:16:25AND PARENT, I HAVE APPRECIATED

1:16:26THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER

1:16:28AS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR

1:16:31FAMILIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:16:32WHILE MY FAMILY DID NOT USE THE

1:16:34POOL ITSELF, I FONDLY REMEMBER

1:16:37GATHERING AT THE BLACKSTONE

1:16:38COMMUNITY CENTER PRE-PANDEMIC

1:16:40WITH OTHER YOUNG FAMILIES AND

1:16:42BEING SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS

1:16:45RESOURCE WAS IN OUR BACKYARD A

1:16:47PLACE THAT PROVIDES

1:16:48OPPORTUNITIES, PROGRAMING AND

1:16:50GATHERING SPACE FOR SOUTH END

1:16:51CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

1:16:54IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL THAT

1:16:56PROGRAMING HAD PICKED UP.

1:16:58MARCO HAD DONE A WONDERFUL JOB

1:17:00BUT OPENING THE POOL WOULD BE

1:17:02CRITICAL AND ENSURING THE

1:17:03COMMUNITY CENTER FUNCTIONS AT

1:17:05THE LEVEL THAT OTHER

1:17:07NEIGHBORHOODS DO.

1:17:08AS A SCHOOL TEACHER, I KNOW

1:17:10THAT COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES WITH

1:17:12YOUNG CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE

1:17:14WOULD SEE THIS COMMUNITY

1:17:16IMPROVEMENT AS IMPACTFUL IN

1:17:19DETERMINING THEIR DECISION TO

1:17:20REMAIN IN THE CITY AND IN THIS

1:17:22NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:17:23FAMILIES OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

1:17:25IN THE SOUTH END LOVE TO

1:17:26CONNECT BEYOND THEIR SCHOOL

1:17:28COMMUNITIES.

1:17:28IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY

1:17:30THE SOUTH END IS SO SPECIAL.

1:17:32THE POOL WOULD BE A PLACE FOR

1:17:33ALL CHILDREN TO CONNECT AND

1:17:35GROW TOGETHER.

1:17:36IT COULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES

1:17:38FOR SWIMMING IN WATER SAFETY,

1:17:41EDUCATION, ATHLETICS, PHYSICAL

1:17:43ACTIVITY ENRICHMENT AND SIMPLY

1:17:46ENJOYING A COMMUNITY RESOURCE

1:17:47TOGETHER.

1:17:49ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE

1:17:50NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE

1:17:52OF LIFEGUARDS IT WILL PROVIDE A

1:17:53KEY LOCATION FOR TRAINING IN

1:17:55JOBS FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

1:17:57BLACKSTONE IS ALREADY AN

1:17:59IMPORTANT INSTITUTION IN THE

1:18:01SOUTH END.

1:18:03REOPENING THE POOL WILL EXPAND

1:18:04WHAT THIS COMMUNITY RESOURCE

1:18:06CAN OFFER TO CHILDREN AND

1:18:08FAMILIES AND WOULD BRING AN

1:18:10EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSET

1:18:12BACK INTO USE AND CONFIRM THE

1:18:15SOUTH END AS A DESIRABLE AND

1:18:17SUPPORTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR

1:18:18FAMILIES TO RAISE THEIR

1:18:19CHILDREN.

1:18:21I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY

1:18:22COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING THE

1:18:23STATUS OF THE POOL AND AN

1:18:26INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING STUDY

1:18:27TO DETERMINE THE REPAIRS NEEDED

1:18:29FOR REOPENING.

1:18:31I HOPE THE CITY WILL CONTINUE

1:18:32TO PURSUE A PATH TOWARD

1:18:35RESTORING THE POOL AS A

1:18:36FUNCTIONING PUBLIC RESOURCE AS

1:18:38A PARENT, A SOUTH END RESIDENT,

1:18:40A SCHOOL TEACHER, I WOULD BE

1:18:43GRATEFUL TO SEE THE BLACKSTONE

1:18:45POOL OPEN AGAIN FOR THE

1:18:46CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF OUR

1:18:48NEIGHBORHOOD.

1:18:48THANK YOU FOR YOUR

1:18:50CONSIDERATION AND FEEL WORK ON

1:18:51BEHALF OF THE SOUTH END

1:18:52COMMUNITY.

1:18:53SINCERELY, CHRISTINA LOPEZ THE

1:18:55FOUNDING HEAD OF SCHOOL THE

1:18:57SOUTH END VILLAGE.

1:19:04MADAM CHAIR, THIS

1:19:07WELL-RESPECTED GROUP IS THE

1:19:09FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE

1:19:11SCHOOL.

1:19:16VOICE YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP

1:19:17REOPEN THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY

1:19:19POOL TO THE FRIENDS OF THE

1:19:20BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY.

1:19:23THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR HAS BROUGHT

1:19:26US INCREDIBLE ENERGY BACK TO

1:19:27BLACKSTONE ELEMENTARY.

1:19:29WE'RE REACHING OUT WITH AN

1:19:30IMPORTANT REQUEST YOUR HELP

1:19:32ADVOCATING FOR THE REPAIR

1:19:33OF THE BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY

1:19:35POOL, WHICH HAS SAT UNUSABLE

1:19:37FOR TEN YEARS WITH WHAT WE'VE

1:19:40JUST LEARNED THAT A HEARING ON

1:19:41REOPENING THE POOL WILL BE HELD

1:19:43SEPTEMBER 24TH AT 10 A.M. WITH

1:19:46AN OPTION FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY

1:19:48.

1:19:48FRIENDS OF BLACKSTONE PRESIDENT

1:19:51DAVID RAZZAQ HAS GRACIOUSLY

1:19:53WRITTEN A LETTER HIGHLIGHTING

1:19:54THE BENEFITS OF REOPENING THE

1:19:56POOL, AND WE INVITE YOU TO DO

1:19:58THE SAME.

1:19:59RENOVATING THE POOL WILL BE A

1:20:01VALUABLE ASSET TO BOTH THE BCU

1:20:04BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER,

1:20:05THE BLACKSTONE SCHOOL OFFERING

1:20:07CHILDREN A SAFE, SUPERVISED

1:20:09SPACE TO LEARN A LIFESAVING

1:20:11SKILL WHILE BUILDING CONFIDENCE

1:20:13AND DISCIPLINE THAT'S BEEN THE

1:20:15FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE

1:20:17SCHOOL.

1:20:22THIS IS A LETTER FROM CAROLINE

1:20:25AT THE SOCCER UNITY PROJECT

1:20:28CAROLYN K PASCALE.

1:20:37DEAR CITY COUNCILORS, ELECTED

1:20:39OFFICIALS, CITY OFFICIALS I AM

1:20:40WRITING AS A LONGTIME SOUTH END

1:20:43RESIDENT MOTHER, COMMUNITY

1:20:44MEMBER, YOUTH PROGRAM DIRECTOR

1:20:47TO STRONGLY ADVOCATE FOR THE

1:20:48REPAIR AND REOPENING OF THE

1:20:50BLACKSTONE POOL IN THE

1:20:52RENOVATION AND REINVESTMENT IN

1:20:54THE BCI OF BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY

1:20:56CENTER.

1:20:59BLACKSTONE HAS LONG BEEN AN

1:21:01IMPORTANT PLACE OF CONNECTION,

1:21:02RECREATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR

1:21:05SOUTH END AND LOWER ROXBURY

1:21:07FAMILIES.

1:21:08YET FOR YEARS THIS COMMUNITY

1:21:09HAS EXPERIENCED A LACK

1:21:11OF INVESTMENT IN THIS CRITICAL

1:21:13PUBLIC RESOURCE.

1:21:14OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES THE

1:21:16SAME LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN ITS

1:21:18COMMUNITY CENTER AND PULL THAT

1:21:20OUT OF THE COMMUNITIES HAVE

1:21:21RECEIVED.

1:21:23THIS IS DEEPLY PERSONAL FOR ME.

1:21:26MY CHILDREN ARE NOW ADULTS BUT

1:21:27THEY WERE RAISED GOING TO THE

1:21:29BLACKSTONE.

1:21:30THEY LEARN TO SWIM THERE, PLAY

1:21:32THERE, MADE FRIENDS,

1:21:34CREATED MEMORIES THAT REMAIN

1:21:36WITH THEM TODAY AS A PARENT

1:21:39HAVING A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE,

1:21:41AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR MY

1:21:42CHILDREN TO PLAY LEARN BUILD

1:21:45RELATIONSHIPS WAS INCREDIBLY

1:21:46IMPORTANT.

1:21:47BLACKSTONE ALSO BROUGHT

1:21:49NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND

1:21:51CREATED CONNECTIONS ACROSS

1:21:52BACKGROUNDS SOMETHING THE

1:21:54NEIGHBORHOOD AND CITY NEED.

1:21:58I MET PEOPLE AND FORMED

1:22:00FRIENDSHIPS WITH FAMILIES I MAY

1:22:01NEVER HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITHOUT

1:22:03THIS SHARED COMMUNITY SPACE

1:22:05THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST

1:22:06IMPORTANT ROLES OF A COMMUNITY

1:22:07CENTER, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

1:22:09FOR PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT

1:22:11BACKGROUNDS AND GENERATIONS TO

1:22:13CONNECT AND BUILD A SENSE

1:22:15OF BELONGING.

1:22:16THE NEED FOR THESE SPACES IS

1:22:18ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THE

1:22:19SOUTH END IN ALL OF ROXBURY.

1:22:21WHILE THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SEEN

1:22:23SIGNIFICANT HOUSING

1:22:24DEVELOPMENT, RISING MARKET RATE

1:22:27HOUSING, THAT DOES NOT MEAN

1:22:29THAT THE NEEDS OF LONGTIME

1:22:30RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE

1:22:32DISAPPEARED.

1:22:33THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE FOURTH

1:22:35HIGHEST RATE OF HOUSING

1:22:36DEVELOPMENT.

1:22:38THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS CANNOT

1:22:39AFFORD PRIVATE GEMS, SWIM CLUBS

1:22:43OR OTHER RECREATIONAL

1:22:44FACILITIES.

1:22:45PUBLIC SPACES LIKE BLACKSTONE

1:22:47PROVIDE HEALTHY, ACCESSIBLE

1:22:49OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.

1:22:51THE CITY HAS ALSO MADE A

1:22:53COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT

1:22:54BOSTON YOUTH HAVE OPPORTUNITIES

1:22:56TO LEARN TO SWIM.

1:22:57MAYOR WAS SPOKEN ABOUT MAKING

1:22:59SWIMMING ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

1:23:02YOUTH AND EXPANDING

1:23:03PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS

1:23:05SUCH AS THE YMCA BOYS AND GIRLS

1:23:07CLUB, BLACKSTONE AND THE YOUNG

1:23:09PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD

1:23:11BE PART OF THAT VISION NOT LEFT

1:23:13OUT OF IT.

1:23:14I AM ASKING THE CITY TO

1:23:16PRIORITIZE THE REPAIR AND

1:23:19REOPENING OF THE BLACKSTONE

1:23:19POOL.

1:23:22COMMIT TO A MEANINGFUL

1:23:23RENOVATION OF THE BCI

1:23:25OF BLACKSTONE COMMUNITY CENTER

1:23:27INCLUDE BLACKSTONE RESIDENTS

1:23:29AND PLANNING FOR THE FACILITY'S

1:23:31FUTURE.

1:23:31EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE

1:23:34YMCA BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND

1:23:35OTHER YOUTH SERVING

1:23:37ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND

1:23:38SWIMMING AND YOUTH PROGRAMING.

1:23:41PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A

1:23:42CLEAR PLAN AND TIMELINE FOR

1:23:45THESE INVESTMENTS.

1:23:46MY CHILDREN GREW UP IN THE

1:23:48BLACKSTONE.

1:23:48THEY LEARNED TO SWIM THERE,

1:23:49PLAY THE AIR, MADE FRIENDS

1:23:51THERE AND EXPERIENCED THE KIND

1:23:53OF COMMUNITY CONNECTION THAT

1:23:54CANNOT BE REPLACED.

1:23:56I KNOW OUR FAMILY IS NOT ALONE

1:23:58IN FEELING THIS WAY.

1:24:00BLACKSTONE IS MORE THAN A

1:24:01BUILDING IN A POOL.

1:24:02IT IS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE THAT

1:24:04HAS HELPED GENERATIONS

1:24:06OF FAMILIES CONNECT, GROW AND

1:24:08THRIVE.

1:24:09OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES TO

1:24:11HAVE THAT RESOURCE FULLY

1:24:13RESTORED AND INVESTED IN FOR

1:24:15THE NEXT GENERATION.

1:24:16THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE

1:24:18COMMUNITY FOR MAKING THE REPAIR

1:24:20,REOPENING AND RENOVATION

1:24:23OF BLACKSTONE A PRIORITY.

1:24:24THAT'S FROM CAROLINE.

1:24:26FOR SCOTTO, THE SOUTH END

1:24:28RESIDENT.

1:24:31THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN.

1:24:33DO YOU HAVE ANY.

1:24:34CLOSING STATEMENTS.

1:24:35>> BEFORE I.

1:24:36CLOSE OUT THIS?

1:24:40PUBLIC TESTIMONY?

1:24:42YEAH I THINK THERE IS.

1:24:43AND DO WE HAVE ANY.

1:24:45THERE'S NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO

1:24:48WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

1:24:49FLYNN'S CLOSING STATEMENT.

1:24:51THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR

1:24:54SHARING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING

1:24:56AND THANK YOU TO JONATHAN ALICE

1:24:57FOR BEING HERE FOR STEVE FOX AS

1:25:02WELL FOR REP JOHN MORAN, ALL

1:25:05THREE PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE WELL

1:25:07RESPECTED IN THE SOUTH END BUT

1:25:10FIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

1:25:11I THINK THIS IS A RACIAL

1:25:13JUSTICE ISSUE.

1:25:15WE KNOW WHERE THE BLACKSTONE

1:25:16SCHOOL AND POOL IS LOCATED.

1:25:18IT'S LOCATED IN AN AREA WHERE

1:25:22IT'S ALMOST SANDWICHED BETWEEN

1:25:24BHP BERKELEY WHICH IS THE OLD

1:25:27CATHEDRAL PUBLIC HOUSING

1:25:28DEVELOPMENT.

1:25:29IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET

1:25:30FROM VILLA VICTORIA,

1:25:32PREDOMINANTLY A GROUP IN LOW

1:25:33INCOME AREA A LARGE PUERTO

1:25:35RICAN LARGE ASIAN COMMUNITY

1:25:38ACROSS ACROSS AND THAT IS ON

1:25:40WEST ADAMS STREET IS A LARGE

1:25:43DEVELOPMENT MOSTLY PERSONS WITH

1:25:45DISABILITIES AND SENIORS PEOPLE

1:25:47OF COLOR.

1:25:48CASTLE SQUARE IS UP THE ROAD.

1:25:51A LARGE ASIAN COMMUNITY JUST A

1:25:55COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY.

1:25:56ALSO IS CHINATOWN A LARGE

1:25:58IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.

1:26:01LOWER ROXBURY IS NOT FAR FROM

1:26:03THE BLACKSTONE AND THAT'S A

1:26:05THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY A OR A

1:26:07LARGE A LARGE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

1:26:09COMMUNITY.

1:26:11I BRING THAT FORWARD BECAUSE

1:26:13MANY PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY DON'T

1:26:16HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR

1:26:18PRIVATE SWIMMING LESSONS.

1:26:20MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE

1:26:22ABILITY TO JOIN A YOUTH CLUB

1:26:24FOR THEIR KIDS, BUT HAVING A

1:26:28BCI FACILITY THAT'S UPGRADED A

1:26:31NEW A NEW WORKING POOL, A NEW

1:26:34BUILDING WITH AN OPPORTUNITY

1:26:37FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO COME

1:26:39TOGETHER TO ENJOY, ENJOY THE

1:26:42SPACE AND SPEND TIME WITH EACH

1:26:44OTHER.

1:26:44THAT'S WHAT A COMMUNITY IS ALL

1:26:46ABOUT.

1:26:47THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN ABOUT OUR

1:26:50DIFFERENCES.

1:26:51THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE FRIENDS.

1:26:55YOU LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE'S

1:26:57BACKGROUNDS AND HERITAGE AND

1:26:59CULTURE AND IN ABOUT THEIR

1:27:01STRUGGLES BY COMPETING IN

1:27:03SPORTS AND PLAYING AND READING

1:27:06TOGETHER OR SITTING IN A

1:27:08PAINTING PROJECT AND IN

1:27:11ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH AND

1:27:12FAMILIES.

1:27:14THAT'S WHAT THE SOUTH END IS

1:27:15ALL ABOUT.

1:27:17THERE'S PROBABLY NOT THERE'S

1:27:18PROBABLY A A NEIGHBORHOOD

1:27:22THAT'S NOT MORE ENGAGED AND

1:27:26DEDICATED THAN THE SOUTH END.

1:27:28THEY'RE COMMITTED, THEY'RE

1:27:30COMPASSIONATE.

1:27:30WHAT I RESPECT ABOUT THEM IS

1:27:34IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE NEXT

1:27:35GENERATION.

1:27:37THIS POOL MIGHT NOT BENEFIT

1:27:39THEM PERSONALLY BUT IT WILL

1:27:42BENEFIT THE NEXT GENERATION

1:27:44OF SOUTH SOUTH AND RESIDENTS.

1:27:46THAT'S WHAT I RESPECT IS THAT

1:27:48IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM.

1:27:49IT'S ABOUT HELPING OTHERS IN

1:27:51NEED.

1:27:53AND THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED FROM

1:27:54THE SOUTH END COMMUNITY IS YOU

1:27:57DON'T GIVE UP ON A PROJECT, YOU

1:27:59DON'T GIVE UP ON PEOPLE.

1:28:00YOU CONTINUE ADVOCATING AND

1:28:03FIGHTING FOR THEM AND YOU NEVER

1:28:04TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

1:28:06THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

1:28:07THANK YOU.

1:28:08THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.

1:28:11BEFORE I ADJOURN THIS MEETING.

1:28:12,I DO JUST WANT TO.

1:28:14REITERATE THAT I AM.

1:28:16COMMITTED TO.

1:28:16>> WORKING WITH THE LEAD

1:28:17SPONSORS COUNCILOR FLYNN

1:28:19FITZGERALD AND CULPEPER.

1:28:21AND THE ADVOCATES JONATHAN.

1:28:22AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

1:28:24>> TO MAKE SURE WE SET.

1:28:25>> A.

1:28:25GOOD TIME, A GOOD.

1:28:26DATE AND LOCATION TO CONTINUE

1:28:29THIS CONVERSATION.

1:28:30THE ADMINISTRATION WILL.

1:28:33BE UM.

1:28:34INVITED TO ATTEND AND HOPEFULLY

1:28:36AT THAT.

1:28:37TIME THEY WILL SHOW UP.

1:28:40WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY

1:28:43COUNCILOR EARL.

1:28:43I WILL GIVE HIM AS SOON.

1:28:45AS HE SETTLES IN AN OPPORTUNITY

1:28:48.

1:28:48>> HE MADE IT.

1:28:48JUST IN TIME.

1:28:49I ALMOST BANGED THE GAVEL.

1:28:53IT'S A FAR.

1:28:54AWAY FROM MATTAPAN.

1:28:56DORCHESTER IS.

1:28:58>> YEAH.

1:28:59>> THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK

1:29:00YOU.

1:29:01THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU

1:29:02TO, UM, COUNCILOR FLYNN, UM,

1:29:05FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND

1:29:06ALWAYS BEING A FIERCE ADVOCATE

1:29:09FOR HIS COMMUNITY AND MAKING

1:29:10SURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS

1:29:12ARE GETTING, UH, THE SAME TYPE

1:29:14OF LEVEL OF SERVICE ACROSS THE

1:29:15BOARD WHEN IT COMES TO CITY

1:29:17SERVICES AND CITY FACILITIES.

1:29:19SO JUST WANTED TO COME, UM, AND

1:29:21SHOW MY SUPPORT.

1:29:22UM, SORRY THAT I WAS LATE.

1:29:23THERE WAS A FUNERAL, UH, FOR

1:29:25VICTORIA WILLIAMS, THE CHAIR

1:29:27OF WARD 12.

1:29:28SO I JUST WANT TO, UH,

1:29:30RECOGNIZE HER, UM, AND HER

1:29:32SERVICE AND LIFT UP HER FAMILY.

1:29:34UM, SO AGAIN, UM, JUST WANTED

1:29:37TO BE HERE.

1:29:38SHOWS HER SUPPORT AND AGAIN,

1:29:40SORRY THAT I WAS LATE.

1:29:41NO WORRIES.

1:29:42DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING

1:29:43ABOUT.

1:29:44I JUST SO YOU DO KNOW THE

1:29:46ADMINISTRATION DID NOT.

1:29:47SHOW UP?

1:29:48>> WE DID HAVE REPRESENTATIVE

1:29:49MORAN, STEVE FOX AND JONATHAN

1:29:51ALVES ARE HERE FROM THE

1:29:52COMMUNITY.

1:29:53>> PANELIST AND I.

1:29:54ALSO HAVE.

1:29:54COMMITTED TO HOLDING.

1:29:56KEEPING IT IN.

1:29:57COMMITTEE AND HOLDING.

1:29:58>> A MEETING IN COMMUNITY IN.

1:29:59>> THE.

1:30:00NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TRYING TO

1:30:01PICK A GOOD DATE WITH THE

1:30:02COMMUNITY.

1:30:02BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW.

1:30:04OFTENTIMES THOSE WHO WANT THEIR

1:30:06VOICES HEARD ARE AT WORK.

1:30:08AND MAYBE NOT ABLE TO GET HERE.

1:30:10SO I THINK WE.

1:30:11ALSO NEED TO SEND.

1:30:12>> A MESSAGE THAT AND THE

1:30:14LETTERS.

1:30:14THAT CAME.

1:30:15>> IN COUNCIL FLYNN HAD MANY.

1:30:17>> THAT HE READ.

1:30:17AND JONATHAN YOU MENTIONED THAT

1:30:19WE KNOW THAT.

1:30:20THE STRONG SOUTH BEND

1:30:22COMMUNITY.

1:30:22WANTS TO BE HEARD.

1:30:23SO ALLOWING THEM IN IN A PUBLIC

1:30:25SETTING I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT

1:30:27NEXT STEP TO SEND THAT

1:30:28POLITICAL WILL OUT THERE TO OUR

1:30:30COLLEAGUES.

1:30:30HOPEFULLY THEY'LL RALLY WITH

1:30:32US.

1:30:32ABSOLUTELY.

1:30:33>> AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO

1:30:35UH, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS

1:30:37UM PLEASE DO START THINKING

1:30:39ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

1:30:40UH, IT'S ONE THING TO GET THE

1:30:41FACILITIES UP AND RUNNING.

1:30:42UH, AND THIS IS ANOTHER THING

1:30:44TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING

1:30:45IS THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE

1:30:47FACILITIES ARE OPEN AND

1:30:49ACCESSIBLE NOT ONLY DURING THE

1:30:50WEEK BUT ALSO ON THE WEEKENDS.

1:30:52SO UM I THINK WE HAVE TO

1:30:54ABSOLUTELY THINK ABOUT THIS IN

1:30:55TWO PHASES.

1:30:56UM, AND AS THE BUDGET SEASON

1:30:58APPROACHES I CAN'T BELIEVE IN

1:30:59THREE MORE MONTHS IT WILL BE

1:31:01YOU KNOW, UH, JANUARY DECEMBER

1:31:04ALREADY.

1:31:05UH, SO I THINK IT'S THINGS THAT

1:31:06WE HAVE TO KEEP IN FRONT OF OUR

1:31:07MIND.

1:31:08AWESOME.

1:31:09>> THANK YOU COUNCIL AS WELL

1:31:10AND I WILL NOW ADJOURN DOCKET

1:31:141335.

1:31:15THANK YOU.

1:31:41>>