From Dave Brigham:
White Stadium, a 75-year-old sports facility located in Boston's Franklin Park that for years has hosted Boston school sports, has been a hot topic in local news since last year. In the late summer of 2023, the owners of the city's entry in the National Women's Soccer League, the Boston Unity, announced a plan with the City of Boston and Boston Public Schools (BPS) to overhaul the aging facility and take over primary usage of the stadium from March to October each year.
Many local residents, in Roxbury and in Jamaica Plain especially, were less than thrilled by this announcement. "'How are we going to keep it for BPS?' said Courtney Leonard, athletic director at TechBoston Academy," in this Bay State Banner article. "'Are we hiring Black and brown people? Is it going to stay 90% for our communities? I want to see more of a commitment for BPS schools and students for access that doesn’t come with a caveat.'"
Over the years, I've been to the Franklin Park Zoo with my kids, and the adjacent old bear cages in service of this blog, (see and December 18, 2019, "Having a Bear of a Time at the Zoo"), so I was aware of the stadium. When I learned about the plan to redevelop it, I figured I should finally venture from the across the playing fields to check it out.
As I walked along a narrow path behind the backstop of a baseball field, I saw a martial arts mentor and student practicing moves on a slight rise above me. I passed a few folks out on a beautiful day walking their dogs. I stopped to watch a father and his young son tossing a football. On the basketball courts just to the southeast of the stadium, I spied about two dozen women in an exercise class, jamming to some dance tunes.
And all the while, in the background, I could hear primates at the zoo calling out to each other.
Franklin Park is an incredible resource for the City of Boston. Wikipedia says this about the park: "Considered a country park when it was formed in the 19th century, Franklin Park is the largest and last component of the Emerald Necklace created by Frederick Law Olmsted. Although often neglected in the past, it is considered the 'crown jewel' of Olmsted's work in Greater Boston....[P]reviously known as West Roxbury Park, [it] was renamed in honor of Boston-born patriot Benjamin Franklin, who documented in his will that he wished for a portion of his estate to be given to a worthy cause. The park brings together rural scenery, a woodland preserve, and areas for active recreation and sports. Franklin Park also has six miles of roads and fifteen miles of pedestrian and bridle paths to explore."
As I mentioned in a previous post about the park, there is also a public golf course and the ruins of an old park superintendent's office on Schoolmaster Hill (see May 11, "Learning About Boston's Schoolmaster Hill").
To be honest, I was expecting the stadium, officially known as the George Robert White Memorial Stadium, after a wealthy pharmaceutical executive who spent much of his life in boston, to be rather boring. I figured I'd make a few quick photos and move on. But boy, was I wrong. I was fascinated by the details on this place, especially at the entrances.
(The west side entrance.)
(West side entrance detail.)
(Near the west side entrance, the original full name of the stadium -- George Robert White Schoolboy Stadium -- is chiseled.)
Below is the south end of the stadium.
The stadium is in pretty rough shape, from what I've read in news stories, and from my basic observations on the day of my visit. Still, this place is unusual in Boston, according to the Boston Preservation Alliance. "The architectural design is unique in Boston. It is a rare example of Streamline Art Deco architecture in New England with a hint of Bauhaus influence," according to this article.
Still, the details! Below is a close-up from the east side entrance.
Whatever happens to the stadium -- there is at least one lawsuit ongoing -- these details need to be preserved. Of course, it would be nice if newer flourishes similar to these were added, as well, particularly ones that reflect the diverse population of the city.
Stay tuned for updates...and for a future post about more of Franklin Park.
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