In an innovative move to enhance Boston’s 2024 Olympic bid, and to raise money for Boston Public Schools, the Curley K-8 School Parent Council today offered the use of our playing field and running track to the USOC as Boston2024’s venue for the Olympic track and field events.
Parents believe this will be a perfect way to spread the message of international peace while raising some money for photocopying paper as well.
“We thought about it a lot,” said Molly Brigham, the Curley’s School Parent Council co-chair. “We realized our playing field was the ideal venue. It’s brand new, so the Boston2024 organizers won’t need to build a whole new stadium. And it’s close to the Stony Brook T, and the 39 bus stops right outside. Transportation is not an issue. I mean, right?”
Curley parents have already conducted a thorough feasibility study, and have concluded some possible obstacles would in fact turn out to be distinct advantages instead. The running track accommodates only two adult lanes, but can be repainted to hold three, so that the bronze medalist can also compete at the same time.
“This way, we just need to invite a lot less athletes, so saving the Olympic organizers even more money on travel costs,” said Kieran Fitzgibbon, one of the co-chairs of last year’s playing field campaign. He did concede that there would have to be some additional construction. “We will of course have to invest in some more seating, but I found a great deal on E-Bay for some bleachers, and the shipping is super cheap too: check it out here, aren’t they nice? The track is a little less than Olympic size, but we also think athletes won’t mind the venue. It’ll feel a lot more intimate a setting, bet they’ll like it.”
“If we help host the Olympic track and field games at the Curley,” added Brigham, “We think this would be a fantastic way to raise money for all BPS schools. Our K2 families are already talking about what to bake for a two-week long Olympic bake sale, and many of our 3rd graders have already offered to set up lemonade stands.”
Third grader Joden added, “It’s going to be really hot because it’s the summer so people will want the lemonade Curley kids can make to cool them down I get really thirsty when it’s summer and the sun is shining my friend Ellie doesn’t like lemonade so she said she’d bring some orange juice instead I bumped my knee in gym yesterday do you want to see?”
Mendell School parent Kristin Johnson is very excited to be involved too. “The Mendell parents will bring a lot of cups, the athletes are going to be super thirsty. Parents in Allston-Brighton will bring napkins for the spectators because baked goods can be crumbly, and parents in East Boston have offered to donate plates too. The Boston Public Schools face such a tough budget outlook these days. But we BPS parents have a bold plan to redress some of our federal, state, and local budget funding problems, and to bring peace and international reconciliation for two weeks ten years from now.”
Curley parent Heshan Berents-Weeramuni did admit a couple of other hurdles still needed to be overcome, but didn’t see them as insurmountable obstacles. “Apart from the seating, we will also need to add a sand pit for the triple and long jumps. But come on, what a great legacy to leave the neighborhood toddlers and their families once the games are done! I’m mean the Brewer Street tot lot is great and all, but on a nice Saturday, it’s like rush hour around that sandpit!”
Berents-Weeramuni also added that parents have not been able to gauge the Principal’s interest yet, but believe that’s more to do with cell phone issues than anything else. “I keep calling our Principal,” he said, “and start talking about hosting the Olympics at the Curley, but her line keeps getting cut off after about 5 seconds. I am sure she’s in a cell phone dead zone, or she’s so excited about the idea she keeps dropping her phone or something.”
Fitzgibbon expects the USOC and Boston2024 will respond to their requests for a site visit soon, but hopes not too soon. “The snow on the playing field needs to melt first,” he explained.
For more enquiries on this April 1st announcement by our School Parent Council, especially if you have a large truck to help bring the bleachers from Iowa if when we win the E-Bay bid (so we can save on the shipping costs), email us!
8 comments
Kat says:
April 1, 2015 at 4:09 pm (UTC 0)
Well done Curley School. Well done.
Dominic says:
April 1, 2015 at 5:09 pm (UTC 0)
This makes a lot of sense. Also, don’t forget the basketball hoop behind the running track. Many epic games have already been played there so it is only natural that the IOC would want to consider it.
Heshan Berents-Weeramuni says:
April 1, 2015 at 5:17 pm (UTC 0)
Great point Dominic. Another reason Boston2024 should relocate.
Lindsey says:
April 1, 2015 at 9:10 pm (UTC 0)
Good point. I think we’d only have to raise the hoop a teensy bit higher to get it to regulation height.
julie says:
April 1, 2015 at 5:22 pm (UTC 0)
Love this!! Would that the funding issues really were April Fools jokes as well…
Kathy C. says:
April 1, 2015 at 7:03 pm (UTC 0)
I’ll make some banana bread! Do you think the athletes will buy some baked goods?
Heshan Berents-Weeramuni says:
April 1, 2015 at 7:46 pm (UTC 0)
Thanks Kathy! Bet they’d love it. Michael Chang used to eat bananas between sets for extra energy, so yeah, they might like that a lot.
Ann Malone says:
April 2, 2015 at 8:22 pm (UTC 0)
What a great idea! And so well thought out. I for one would be thrilled b/c it will surely lead to a hefty hike in our room rates (walking distance to one of the event locales, that’s gotta be worth an extra $100/nite minimum).
And we’ll even split our profits with the Curley SPC after we bulk purchase the 10,000 cases of Trix and Coco Puffs that BPS bought as part of their commitment to providing more “vegetarian” menu items for our students.
Definitely keep me in the loop!