Jamaica Plain News (https://www.jamaicaplainnews.com/tag/franklin-park-area-stop-the-olympics)
Grab the popcorn, as they say, and tune in to Thursday night's debate between those who aim to bring the Olympics to Boston and those fighting tooth and claw against the idea. Here's a reminder of what's on the table for Jamaica Plain under the current plan. The debate airs on Fox 25 at 8 p.m. Thursday. You can also catch it on the web here or here or over the radio on WBUR. Here's a primer on the debate from WBUR.
Boston 2024, a private group spearheading the city's bid to host the summer Olympics, unveiled an updated proposal Monday morning. One major change affecting JP would be that a pool is no longer being envisioned for Franklin Park. Looking at the new proposal from a city-wide perspective, the ambitious plan calls for the construction of two entirely new Boston neighborhoods. The proposal, dubbed 2.0, outlined plans for a temporary Olympic stadium that would seat 69,000, and would be completely repurposed or recycled after the games. Adjacent to the stadium, in "Midtown," are plans for 4,000 permanent units of housing, including 500 affordable units.
On Tuesday, resident Chris Hoeh took the podium at First Church to announce that Franklin Park Area Stop the Olympics was in place and in your face. Saying that "Jamaica Plain stopped I-95 and we can stop the Olympics," he urged everyone in the sanctuary to come out to the Mayors Boston Olympic Community meeting on June 30 to say Franklin Park and Harambee Park ( Franklin Field ) are not for the Olympics. "The meeting is a great opportunity!" In a hand-out, the group stated that Franklin Park Area Stop the Olympics was formed "in response to calls for locally organized resistance....We will help stop the Olympics and build the city we need." Hoeh - who lives on Adelaide street and is grade school teacher - spoke at the conclusion of a lecture by Smith College Professor Andrew Zimabalist on the "Economic Gamble of Boston 2024."