We were in attendance last Wednesday afternoon at the Chelsea Soldiers Home for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Community Living Center that will provide 154 residence rooms for our veterans. The $199 million project will serve as a model throughout the country for dignified, long-term veteran care.
Among the many dignitaries on hand was Governor Charlie Baker. During his brief, off-the-cuff remarks, the governor specifically noted, “This building could not have happened without the support of former House Speaker Bob DeLeo, for whom this was a ‘passion project’ — and when the Speaker of the House gets behind something that strongly, then things get done.â€
We were struck by the governor’s heartfelt words to recognize the significant contribution that Bob DeLeo made to this immense undertaking — the project had been in limbo until Bob’s push finally got it off the ground — that will benefit our veterans for years to come.
It also occurred to us that this is one of the countless number of projects across our state that directly are attributable to the hard work and dedication of Bob DeLeo during his tenure as the Speaker of the Mass. House — a legacy that will have left a lasting imprint upon our state that will prove of benefit to residents of Massachusetts for generations to come.