Representatives of the Vietnamese American community urged the Boston City Council to allocate $5,000,000 for construction and revitalization of Townfield Park so the 1975 Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial can be integrated into the site.

Ngoc Tran Vu identified themself as lead artist and project director for the 1975 Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial and said the memorial and park upgrades would “honor the journeys of Vietnamese refugees” and serve as “a gathering place, a neighborhood anchor, and a cultural touchstone” in Fields Corner. “We urge you to fully fund the construction of Townfield Park and support this transformative vision,” Tran Vu said.

Tran Vu said the project has community backing — “close to a thousand residents and neighbors” and local organizations — and that the park improvements would include accessibility upgrades and coordination with Boston Parks and Recreation and the Boston Public Art Commission. Tran Vu noted nearby investments including a Dorothy Gibson playground renovation and planned upgrades to the Fields Corner branch library.

The testimony was made during a budget hearing; no city capital allocation was approved at the session. Councilors thanked the speakers and said community requests would be part of the FY26 budget record for further review.