“I was a park ambassador for FDR in 2018 to collect surveys of what the Latino community wanted to see at the park. It’s appalling to see the lack of transparency and twisting of data to fit a narrative where it makes sense to chop down fields of meadow and trees. At no point during the planning process were we told about the environmental impacts and destruction at the park.

My community, in particular the latine soccer players and folks vending food on the weekend, had very clear priorities: cleaning up the current soccer field, creating a safer playground and having bathrooms with handwashing sinks nearby. None these have been prioritized before the $30,000,000 investment to destroy the meadows.

The meadows provide respite for our community and natural wildlife. Destroying this oasis to create a for-profit commodity sends a strong message that Parks and Rec commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and park director Justin DiBerardinis care more about “soccer professionals” than the general public. The needs expressed in the 2018 surveys have been completely ignored.” ly ignored.”

— Carolina Torres / Park Ambassador