Framingham Council Votes To Buy Belknap Swim Club Property

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Framingham City Council on Tuesday voted to move ahead with purchasing the former Belknap Pool and Tennis Club for $362,000 — although the deal still requires another vote to be finalized.

Council Vice Chair Adam Steiner proposed the idea, saying the 6-acre parcel could be used as open space, or as a new city park. Other ideas for the land include a summer camp, community gardens or possibly a ropes course. The property also backs up onto the trail on top of the Hultman Aqueduct and contains walking trails used by residents.

Several Councilors oppose the idea because there's no specific plan in place for it. Framingham Chief Operating Officer Thatcher Kezer said Mayor Yvonne Spicer's administration passed on buying the land earlier this year because officials couldn't find a use for it.

"Any of the ideas we could come up with … were just difficult to fit in that location," Kezer said.

District 6 Councilor Philip Ottaviani said it might be easy for the city to resell the property to a developer if it can't be used as a park. He reminded Councilors of when Framingham missed out on buying the Millwood Golf Course in 2016. A developer snapped up the land and built a luxury 55+ community there.

The facility opened in the late 1950s and was operated by the Framingham Swimming Pool Association. Belknap closed in 2018, however, after declining membership. A developer from Natick had wanted to buy the land, but Framingham has right of first refusal.

District 8 Councilor John Stefanini said the property could become a nuisance for the neighborhood if left as is, and doubted the city could sell the land for development, if necessary.

"This will become something that's a liability for our community, and it'll become a liability for the neighborhood," he said.

The Council voted 7 to 4 with Stefanini, At-Large Councilor Janet Leombruno, District 4 Councilor Michael Cannon and District 1 Councilor Christine Long voting "no." The purchase requires a second vote with a two-thirds majority to pass, and that will likely happen at the Council's next meeting in August.