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TD Garden On Thin Ice With Community
The owner of Boston’s
TD Garden – TD Garden
A group of teenagers from the Hyde Square neighborhood in Boston set the goal of building an ice rink in their neighborhood and, after some research, realized the Garden was constructed with an agreement that its owners would hold a minimum of three charitable events to support local youth recreation each year.
These events haven’t been taking place though, as the youth told NPR they received a letter stating the Garden had not raised any of the promised money.
The Garden acknowledged some wrongdoing and announced a willingness to pay approximately $1.65 million, but the teens said that doesn’t come close to honoring its original promise and are seeking around $14 million according to NPR.
“I think we can assume that the fundraisers wouldn’t be little student-run bake shops,” President and CEO of Graham-Pelton Elizabeth Zeigler told NPR. “These events would draw celebrities that would be commensurate with the brand of TD Garden and the sports teams.”
The original 1993 deal funding the construction of the Garden for $160 million included the stipulation that there would be three fundraisers, according to the Boston Globe, and a spokeswoman for the Garden told the paper that it and its related organizations have raised more than $2 million annually for charity work.
“We applaud the passion of the youth leaders from the Hyde Square Task Force and have extended invitations to meet,” a statement from TD Garden president Amy Latimer read. “Since the legislation was uncovered, we have worked earnestly and directly with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to come to a mutually agreed upon resolution. We are pleased that our agreement will direct all funds to benefit the Jackson Square Recreation Center. Our charitable foundations have, and will continue to, prioritize investments supporting youth programs in our community.”