ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Massachusetts State Rep. Brendan Crighton speaks to Lynn Classical High honors U. S. History students that include Iris Martinez, Venita Figueroa, Ryan Clark and Elijah Almendarez.
BY DILLON DURST
LYNN — A Classical High School class caught state Rep. Brendan Crighton’s eye.
The Lynn Democrat visited Dena Capano’s U.S. history classes Thursday to participate in the “(Re) Vision of Lynn” project. The initiative examines the city’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), which put millions of unemployed Americans to work nationwide constructing public buildings and roads under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.
Students took pictures of themselves in front of the buildings, such as the General Electric Co. sites and Fraser Field — formerly Manning Bowl — and envisioned improvements for the city’s properties.
“It’s inspiring to see young people looking at the needs of the city,” Crighton said. “It’s cool to see that their vision reflects what we’re trying to do.”
Students raised issues about potholes, sidewalks and the cleanliness of the city’s parks and fields. A raccoon problem was even mentioned.
But most of Capano’s students agreed that they’d like to see an entertainment center built in Lynn.
Juniors Thomas Rojas and Tori McDonald said they’re tired of leaving the city to have fun.
Rojas said he often goes to Town Line, a Malden-based venue that features luxury bowling lanes, a sports bar and nightlife. While he won’t be visiting the bar anytime soon, he said such a place in Lynn would provide games for teens. He also said it would help attract outsiders to Lynn.
Students Elizabeth Tobin and Vilaphon Sodabanh said they’d like to see the MBTA’s Blue Line expanded. They would also like movie theaters in town because malls are too far away.
They said it’s tough for Millennials who lack driver’s licenses to plan rides to and from the closest forms of recreation.
“Lynn just really doesn’t have much to offer,” said student Jefferson Fuentes.
Crighton said the ideas are not far fetched, and said zoning allows those uses. But the only thing missing is someone willing to build it.
Dillon Durst can be reached at [email protected].