Massachusetts

Boston's TD Garden Pays $1.65M After Not Hosting Fundraisers

The City of Boston has reached an agreement with TD Garden after it was discovered of failing to follow a state mandate for 24 years. 

Teenagers, part of the Hyde Square Task Force, discovered TD Garden wasn't following a 1993 state law that requires it host three fundraisers a year benefiting the Department of Conservation and Recreation. 

"It's a promise they should have kept," said Edelind Peguero, a member of the Hyde Square Task Force. 

Teens estimated each fundraiser would bring in $150,000, three fundraisers a year, multiplied by 24 years, plus late fees and inflation equals $13.8 million, according to the group.

"For more than 20 years the city has been asleep," said Celina Miranda, the executive director of the task force. 

"Our crimes in JP and Roxbury are higher. I feel like if we had this rec center those could go down," said Peguero. 

The center, known as the Jackson Square Project, will cost $21.5 million. 

TD Garden initially said it wasn't aware of the mandate but released this statement Thursday: 

"To remedy our role in the oversight, we have agreed to commit $1.65 million to the DCR, earmarked for the Jackson Square Recreation Center based on an evaluation of similar events." 

Teens discovered the comprise just minutes before holding a press conference near the Garden Thursday, many of them were very upset. 

"Definitely not enough," said Jonah Muniz." The people in Massachusetts, in our community, have already raised a bit more than half of the amount of money that we need for the recreational center. $1.65 million is less than 10% that is beyond ridiculous." 

The DCR released this statement: 

“The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is moving ahead with an agreement with TD Garden which will direct an additional $2.65M to the community athletic facility project in Jackson Square. Thanks to the hard work of the Hyde Square Task Force, the DCR can move ahead to fulfill a decades old statute enacted to enrich the area parks system while increasing the total amount of state funds for the students’ project to $8.31M. While the statute requires any funds raised to be directed to the DCR, we are thrilled to agree to direct this funding to the Jackson Square project in recognition of the students’ hard work.” 

"I find it to be an insult," said Miranda. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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