The City Council Committee on Strong Women, Families and Communities held a hearing Tuesday to discuss the future of Boston Centers for Youth and Families’ services in Allston-Brighton.
The neighborhood’s only BCYF facility, Jackson Mann, closed over the summer and the City of Boston announced that it would be relocated to Brighton High School.
However, BCYF reversed this decision in September and stated Jackson Mann would remain Allston-Brighton’s only community center.
The Jackson Mann site previously housed Jackson Mann K-8 Boston Public School and the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. BCYF Jackson Mann is now the last facility on the site, which has been slated for demolition since 2019 because a singular part of the floor in the building was deemed fit for public use, according to an FAQ from BCYF.
Councilor Liz Breadon, who sponsored the hearing, emphasized the community’s “great need” for more resources.
“We have the second-largest neighborhood in the city of Boston, and we have one community center,” Breandon said in her opening remarks at Tuesday’s meeting. “Compared to other neighborhoods in the city, we’re very under-resourced.”
Residents voiced frustration over the city government’s lack of action on Jackson Mann.
Ricky Meinke, a member of the board of directors for Allston Village Main Streets, said he has seen “no priority to support the communities of Allston-Brighton” from the councilors.
“The issue of the Jackson Mann has consistently served as an example of how leadership continues in this tradition of forgetting our neighborhood,” Meinke said. “Not only have we lost our community center, but we’ve also lost a place of learning for our deaf community, and we’ve closed a school that primarily serves students of color.”
Kelly McGrath, executive director of Brighton Main Streets, said the Jackson Mann Center is important to the Allston community.
“Programs and centers like Jackson Mann do not just change lives, they save lives,” McGrath said.
Andrea Howard, CEO of West End House, a youth development agency in Allston, said there needs to be a comprehensive, long-term plan to address Allston-Brighton’s needs.
“Having a clear location with a clear set of program priorities is essential if we want to really not just talk about equity and actually do something about it,” said Howard, a 25-year resident of Allston-Brighton.
Despite residents’ frustrations, city leaders reassured them Jackson Mann was still a high priority for the city.
“Community centers are what make neighborhoods strong,” said Marta Rivera, commissioner of BCYF. “It’s what brings people together.”
