~ EDITORIAL ~ Misguided, malicious ‘crusade’ helps kill dream of new park for Malden’s youth

Most underutilized recreational space in Malden, Roosevelt Park will stay that way for years to come

Let it be written, noted and understood quite clearly: Not one argument, accusation, opinion or allegation made by any opponent against the long-planned renovation and rehabilitation project at Roosevelt Park was ever accurate, truthful or had any validity. Not one. In addition, not one of the endless litanies of fabrications and fables put forth by any group – or any elected official who backed them – against the Roosevelt Park project, played any role whatsoever, at any time, in the project’s demise. Not one.

Quite frankly, no one in any position of authority – at the state or federal level – ever believed or supported any of their arguments or any of their allegations. None of it, ever.

This is not opinion or hyperbole; it is undisputed fact. Opponents of the Roosevelt Park project never won a challenge at any level of government or with any government agency. Quite simply, opponents never got any official at any level – ever – to say their accusations were right, their arguments were correct or that the Roosevelt Park project – with its centerpiece a safe, long-lasting and cost-efficient synthetic surface playing field – could not, or should not, go forward as planned.

To that end, they completely failed. Few believed them, few supported them. Nor should they have done so, if people were truly on the side of the youth of Malden.

Once again, facts backed up those planning and supporting the project, which would have ensured the complete renovation of the park into a facility the city of Malden could be proud of, providing a safe, welcoming and nurturing recreational space for thousands of Malden youth and their families for years to come.

Not one Malden player, team or family of the tens of thousands who have used them has ever reported being injured in any way from using the multiple synthetic surface fields in Malden in the 17 years since the first one was installed. No one has ever reported any illnesses or disease from contact with the synthetic surfaces in the city. Opponents continually assailed the planned installation of synthetic surface/turf as unsafe and unhealthy with a seemingly endless list of false statements. Unproven fiction, all of it.

What those opposed to the Roosevelt Park project were extremely good at – in addition to incessant and feverish gaslighting – was using every means available to them in delaying the project at every possible turn.

In the interest of equity and valuing public comment, our local, state and federal governments make many avenues available if citizens wish to challenge laws, regulations and statutes as they apply to projects seeking to advance in municipalities. Here in Malden, opponents of the Roosevelt Park project took these opportunities for challenge to a new level, launching challenger after challenge, filing appeal after appeal and causing innumerable, unnecessary and unneeded delays to the project, nearly seven years after it was first announced in 2017.

City officials this week were informed that due to delays in the project construction costs have risen dramatically to the point that even the lowest bids for the project received recently, exceed the funds and resources in place and available to complete it. With the financial climate at the municipal level making city officials unable to meet any additional request – at any dollar amount – at this time, it was announced this week the city of Malden will no longer pursue this project. That is the only reason why the project has been ended and why the youth of Malden, from toddlers to Malden High School students, see the dream of a new, state-of-the-art park killed by a misguided, malicious crusade by a small group of naysayers.

For the past five years, due to delays and challenges, thousands of Malden children have been shut out from participating in sports programs planned for this field. In the five years since this project was officially approved by the City Council, every youth sports organization in the Malden community – Malden Youth Soccer, Pop Warner Football, Malden Youth Lacrosse, Malden Girls Softball, Malden Youth Baseball, Malden Babe Ruth Baseball and others – have all strongly endorsed the Roosevelt Park Improvement Project and the state-of-the-art synthetic surface that is planned. They have all had representation at nearly every public meeting and public opportunity to express views on the Roosevelt Park Project. That encompasses thousands of Malden residents ranging in age from three to 21 – and all of the coaches, parents and other family members. Everyone from two well-respected Malden Mayors – present and past – to dozens of present and former City Councillors, two highly regarded Malden Redevelopment Authority Executive Directors, present and past, and their staffs, as well as dozens of other professional city staffers have all backed and endorsed this project from its earliest inception in 2010.

In the end, delaying the project long enough to make it cost prohibitive was probably their strategy all along. They care solely about their “cause,” nothing about the kids of Malden.

Rising construction costs have caused many a project to be reworked, reassessed and sadly, in this case, abandoned. So right now Roosevelt Park is a mess, a dump, as it has been for many years. All the funds that have been in place to make it a showcase park in Malden will now be returned, go unused or will disappear forever. So, a dump it will remain.

For anyone celebrating this week’s sad news, and there will certainly be a few, go celebrate that as well. It is your new legacy.