For immediate release: November 4, 2011
(BOSTON) – Yesterday Governor Deval Patrick signed special legislation that will allow the Town of Braintree to enter into a design-build agreement with a private developer to build a state of the art Pool and Rink complex on the grounds of Braintree High School. In 1964, Captain August Petersen passed away and left money for the construction of a pool in Braintree and after 48 years it is finally going to be built.
Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan said in reaction to the prospect of finally building the Petersen Pool, “The Petersen saga has ended. We are going to build the pool. This is a signature site that will serve as a community asset for all of Braintree to enjoy. I am grateful to the Town Council, school committee, Representative Cusack and Senators Keenan and Joyce for the work they did to make this complex a reality, and to Governor Patrick for granting approval of the Bill.”
“Today was a great day for Braintree, with our special legislation becoming law. Now the Town is free to move forward with the bid contract for the construction of the rink and Petersen pool complex next to the high school,” said Representative Mark J. Cusack. “In addition to the recently completed turf fields, Braintree will have one of the premiere athletic facilities on the South Shore and the best complete campuses in the region.”
The Mayor went on to discuss the next step in the project, “Now that this important step has been taken we can begin the process of requesting bids from developers to design, build, and operate the facility. This complex will be built on Town owned land and whomever owns the facility will pay rent to the Town for the land. This is an exciting project, and we would hope to have the complex up and running in time for the 2012-13 winter sports season.”
In addition to the Mayor and members of the legislative delegation, Councilor-at-Large Leland Dingee, District Councilors Thomas Bowes, Henry Joyce, and Charles Kokoros, School Committee members Joseph Zarrella, Shannon Hume, and David Ringus, Superintendent of Schools Peter Kurzberg, and Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin were also in attendance.
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