On Thursday, September 24th at 10 a.m. Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn will be holding a hearing to discuss the status of the Blackstone Pool and an independent engineering study on repairs, chaired by Boston City Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy. Interested neighbors who would like to attend the hearing in-person, or to testify virtually via Zoom, are invited to please reach out to [email protected] . If you would like to also provide written testimony, you can email the committee at [email protected] or email [email protected]. Neighbors are also invited to watch the livestream of the hearing at the following link: www.boston.gov/city-council-tv.
The Blackstone Community Center and Boston Public Schools (BPS) pool has historically served communities of color in the South End and Roxbury, including the residents of Villa Victoria and BHA Ruth Barkley apartments. It has been closed indefinitely due to structural issues, including a deteriorated pool shell, drain line failure, and groundwater intrusion.
Of the 18 pools operated by Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF), nine were closed for the summer of 2025, significantly limiting access to swim lessons and recreational water activities, which are vital for public safety, health, and youth development. For summer 2026, 16 of the 18 pools were reopened, with the exception of the Blackstone pool and the Mirabella pool.
The City of Boston’s FY27–FY31 Capital Plan includes $500,000 for the Blackstone School Study, which will determine the scope of major renovations at the school and pool. A complete renovation will take years to complete. This pool closure exacerbates disparities in exposure to hotter summers and denies enrichment opportunities for communities of color and immigrants.
In June 2026, the Council held a hearing on the overall condition of BCYF pools, where Boston Public Schools informed the body that reopening Blackstone would require a full excavation to understand the full scope of damage and major renovations to BCYF Blackstone. Investing in the Blackstone pool is an investment in public safety, youth development, and equal access to city services for our communities.
“The Blackstone pool has served generations of families in the South End and Roxbury. Failure to invest in the appropriate resources is not just an infrastructure issue, it is an issue of social, economic, environmental, and racial justice,” said Councilor Flynn. “Our residents deserve access to safe and reliable community spaces, and we must work to ensure this pool is reopened for the families and communities that depend on it. An independent engineering study is a critical first step in understanding what repairs are needed and how we can move forward.”
For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 or [email protected].