BLM RI PAC calls upon Pawtucket Mayor Grebien to apply for Federal Brownfields Funding and to convene a Community Town Hall for Morley Field
In an open letter, Harrison Tuttle, President of the BLM RI PAC, seeks to partner with the City to develop a "community-driven solution that fully restores Morley Field."
From a BLM RI press release:
Dear Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien,
The Woodlawn community stands at a critical juncture regarding the future of Morley Field, a site that holds deep significance for the health and wellbeing of historically underserved residents in Pawtucket. We seek your partnership in developing a community-driven solution that fully restores Morley Field. Once a hub for gatherings and recreational sports, Morley Field remains one of the last open spaces for the Woodlawn community. We firmly oppose the proposed conversion of Morley Field into the Blackstone Distribution Center by JK Equities, as it threatens the physical and emotional wellbeing of our community. Such a conversion would only deepen the public health and environmental inequities already plaguing a community that is all too familiar with the detrimental impacts of environmental racism.
The community has voiced its opposition to the construction of the Blackstone Distribution Center. We have signed petitions, made phone calls, and visited City Hall to express our concerns. Yet, despite these efforts, we have received no meaningful response from your office. Guided by recommendations from the National Park Service and the Conservation Law Foundation—which emphasize the importance of public meetings to ensure meaningful involvement of Environmental Justice Communities—we stress that our proposals are not abstract. They are rooted in the principle that those most affected by environmental decisions must be central to the decision-making process. Collaborating with the Woodlawn community to restore Morley Field in its entirety must be a priority for your office.
We call upon the City of Pawtucket to take the following steps:
Apply for Federal Brownfields Funding
The EPA’s Brownfields Program, supported by the historic investment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides a clear solution. These funds would enable the City of Pawtucket to assess, clean up, and sustainably redevelop Morley Field, preserving it as a community asset without overburdening local finances.Convene a Community Town Hall
We urge you to host a public town hall in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and Congressman Gabe Amo. This town hall should include representatives from BLM RI PAC, State Representatives Jennifer Stewart and Cherie Cruz, Ward 5 City Council Member Clovis Gregor, and, most importantly, members of the Woodlawn community. We hope for honest dialogue and collaborative problem-solving.
Signed,
Harrison Tuttle, President, Black Lives Matter Rhode Island Political Action Committee
See also:
BLM RI PAC calls on US Rep Amo to convene a Morley Field town hall in Pawtucket
Pawtucket’s Save Morley Field rally calls out the Grebien Administration’s racism
Every time Pawtucket has convened a meeting on this ( 3 xs so far) the response hasd been overwhelming, reopen the park. I have no faith that Grebien the liar will respond , and even if he called a meeting he would lie about what the peope said at the meeting. No one wantsx the park closed except the criminals at the City of pawtucket.