United We Stand, Divided We Fall
To the Editor,
I write to you in a plead for help regarding The Kraft Group’s proposed soccer/entertainment stadium. Though a community impact agreement must also be reached with the City of Boston, the neighborhood that will be most impacted is Charlestown. Charlestown has a small population of roughly 19,000 people and is easily ignored in state and city politics, which is why it desperately needs your support.
The community of Charlestown is worth saving. When many Boston neighborhoods have been gentrified and have become transient, Charlestown has remained a family-oriented community. In fact, it has the largest share of children age 0-9 and, by community involvement, has some of the best elementary schools. As we move into the future, the community in Charlestown can be built on and strengthened with thoughtful planning. The proposed soccer stadium has the potential to destroy all of that unless there are guarantees of infrastructure improvements, noise limitations, and agreements that cars will not be parked in Charlestown. A proper community impact agreement also should be reached, one that would ensure that Charlestown remains viable for families.
During the open mic portion of the April 30 meeting held at the Connolly Center, which featured the Krafts and the New England Revolution, a resident that received a large applause stated that all infrastructure improvements should be completed before the first event is held at the stadium. That is where our communities, along with the surrounding communities, can all agree and collaborate to force the issue. When the government and a powerful special interest group are aligned, the only way to check that power is by a grassroots mobilization of people. Concerned residents from our communities need to communicate and organize. This can be done by having in-person meetings or via social media.
The infrastructure improvements that have been passively mentioned include the commuter rail stop that will be paid for by Wynn, a pedestrian footbridge connecting Assembly Row to Encore, and water shuttles. An area that must also be included is the redevelopment of Sullivan Sq/Rutherford Ave. There allegedly has been funding in place for many years, however, the redevelopment has been kicked down the road. Whether someone is for or against the soccer/entertainment stadium, they can certainly agree that the entire area needs significant improvements.
In closing, this will not be the first time that Charlestown has faced an existential threat from a superior force. June 17 will mark the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the colonists technically lost the battle, due to having limited ammunition, they inspired others to join the fight by proving that they could win. So let us inspire our state and our country, and prove that special interest groups do not control our government and will not destroy our communities because WE THE PEOPLE stand together.
Phil Carr III