Boston City Council pressed city officials over BCYF pool equity as the Blackstone Community Center pool remained indefinitely closed ahead of a summer heat wave.
BOSTON -- The Boston City Council's Committee on Human Services convened June 29 to examine the conditions, operations, and access of Boston Centers for Youth and Family pools, with the prolonged closure of the Blackstone Community Center pool drawing the sharpest criticism.
**TOWN**
Councilor Ed Flynn called for an independent engineering study of the Blackstone pool, which he said serves families from the Villa Victoria and Cathedral public housing developments near Roxbury and has no set reopening date — possibly remaining closed for years pending a full school renovation. "I can't accept that children in the South End in Roxbury, most of them kids of color, don't have the same access to a swimming pool that wealthier white kids have," Flynn said.
Councilor Durkin highlighted the recently opened Hennigan pool, which serves Mission Hill residents, and called for BCYF pools to stay open at least 90 days each summer given the city's investment of more than $30 million in pool facilities. About three-quarters of Boston's BCYF pools are currently open, officials indicated.
Roslindale parent Natasha Winninger testified that her daughter just finished her third season with the Dolphins youth swim team and urged the city to follow through on a citywide parent working group for competitive swimming promised in January. She said BCYF had not sent promised surveys or monthly updates, and that volunteers had filled the gap.
Councilor Pepin raised concerns about the Flaherty Pool and flagged the importance of BCYF aquatics classes for seniors, describing them as a popular and well-attended program.
**COMMUNITY**
The city announced a free, indoor World Cup watch party for the U.S. vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina match, open to families but requiring advance registration due to limited capacity.
On July 2, the Boston Celtics added center Mitchell Robinson, with ESPN reporting a three-year, $47.4 million deal for the center who won a championship with the New York Knicks.