BRA director offers formal apology for West End’s demolition
It’s never too late to say you’re sorry. Just ask Jim Campano.
Campano was among the nearly 50 people on hand at the West End Museum last week for the opening of an exhibition on the history of urban renewal. During the reception, Boston Redevelopment Authority director Brian Golden issued a formal apology on behalf of the BRA for razing the residential sections of the West End nearly six decades ago.
It was, Campano said, a historic moment. His family was forced out of the West End when he was a teenager. They fled to Somerville, where he still lives today. Over the years, many Boston politicians have publicly agreed with the now widespread belief that the West End demolition represented a black mark on Boston’s history. However, Campano said the agency that was most responsible never officially apologized — until now.