City Council reaffirms renaming of Allston playground

On June 16, 1969, the Boston City Council adopted a resolution offered by Council President Gerald F. O’Leary, requesting that Mayor White recommend to the Parks and Recreation Commission that it rename the playground at Hooker and Sorrento Streets in Allston in honor of the late James H. Roberts.



This year, on January 25, after staff of the City Archives and Parks and Recreation Commission discovered an oversight of over 50 years, the Parks and Recreation Commission voted to formally ratify the City Council resolution passed in 1969 to officially name the playground at Hooker and Sorrento Streets in memory of James H. Roberts.



Roberts resided at 31 Seattle Street in Allston and served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 23 years in the State Treasury Department, holding the position of Director of the Vietnam Bonus at the time of his death on May 15, 1969.



Roberts was a veteran of the Massachusetts State Guard and honorably served in the Burma-China-India campaign. He was active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Allston Civic Association (ACA).



He actively served the youth of the City of Boston in Brighton and Allston for many years, including in the Cub Scout program as Cubmaster and Committee Chair of Cub Scout Pack One, sponsored by the Allston Congregational Church, and served as youth advisor for the Catholic Youth Organization of St. Richard’s parish.



This week, the Council adopted a resolution reaffirming its commitment to name the playground at Hooker and Sorrento Streets in Roberts’ memory.