Planning Board Sets Special Meetings For Petersen Pool

BRAINTREE, MA — A perfect schedule with no setbacks would have meant that Petersen Pool would have been constructed and open by now. While moving along, the process has had some bumps in the road.

Two special planning board meetings have been posted for Jan. 23 and 25, and the proposed building is the only topic of discussion both nights. Both meetings scheduled at Town Hall are set to start at 7 p.m., with the public hearing to follow at 7:15 p.m.

Mayor Joe Sullivan wrote in the town's Braintree Blue newsletter than the meetings are to review final changes and updates to the proposed pool and rink facilities drainage, traffic plans, and mitigation measures.

"As of today, it is expected that the Planning Board will be in possession of all requested updates and engineering details needed to hold a final vote of approval. The creation of this state-of-the-art sports complex at Braintree High School will offer numerous exciting opportunities for not only the student-athletes of Braintree public school sports programs but also for other various town’s youth sports programs and events, as well as community skate and swim times," Sullivan wrote.

Located on the Braintree High School campus, original plans called for a building over 150,000 square feet in size with two hockey rinks, a basketball court, a multi-use court, a conference room, and an indoor baseball diamond. Plans to cut the building's in size by nearly half and focus on the ice rinks and pool were revealed at the end of 2016.

The to be constructed building is named after East Braintree tugboat captain August Petersen, who left the town $65,000 for a pool about 55 years ago.

Petersen Pool is scheduled to open by September 2019.

Image: The site of Petersen Pool. Credit: Braintree Public Schools