Petersen Fund
In 1964, town meeting accepted a gift from Mr. Petersen of $65,000 to build a pool for the children. The funds weren't enough at the time to build even a puddle, so the town waited and waited for the invested funds to accumulate interest. Today, the town has nearly $1.5 million to build that pool, not a grandiose natatorium for that was never the man's intentions. There are no living survivors of the Petersen family, therefore no one the funds could be returned to. A pool at the high school with the codicil imposed by the school committee that it be only an indoor pool is an unaffordable solution unless you and I and all taxpayers of Braintree would anti up another $2 million to build an indoor pool. Won't happen with the town's other costly needs with a higher priority. So, decision is outdoor pool that he public can use in the summer. Makes sense to me. Let's swim and get on with honoring this man's generosity as well.
By I Know, I Know, I Know