Last Wednesday at Doric Park Mayor Allan W. Fung announced the details of the licensing agreement with New England Futbol Club to turf and use the field, causing an uproar within the community.

Two days later, the deal was dead. Fung released a statement Friday afternoon confirming he would not move forward with the plan and that he would withdraw his resolution from the City Council. While use of the field by Cranston East athletics and CLCF would have remained nearly unaffected, public use would have been restricted.

“I still believe that the plan would have been a great opportunity to realize a major investment in a city park and a benefit to the community,” Fung said in his statement. “However, as mayor, I always listen to my constituents and appreciate their input on any issue.”

The response to the proposition when it was announced was overwhelmingly negative. While the mayor was surrounded by players, coaches and family during his press conference Wednesday, residents of the surrounding areas made their displeasure well known.

Cranston East boys’ soccer captain Nathaniel Hardy was one of many who didn't approve.

“We’re kind of appalled by the selling of this park,” Hardy said of the licensing agreement on Wednesday. “It’s the only public park in the area. Most people here don’t have space to run around in their yards. This is the only space they can use for that. It’s a betrayal of the public.”

John Barbarisi, 14, said that he could sympathize with the mayor’s vision of improving the public park but wasn’t in favor of removing one of the basketball courts for extra parking. The other basketball court, the tennis court and the new playground would have remained untouched.

“I’ve been coming here since last year,” Barbarisi said. “I don’t like taking away one of the basketball courts. We’ve always used both of them. I just feel like taking it away is part of my childhood and part of what we do after school.”

Melissa Jenkins took issue with the private nature of the negotiations and spoke to the City Council at their full meeting on Monday night about a way to fix the transparency issue. Her letter to the editor appears in this week’s edition.

“I’m here to tell you that secrecy in government business is not government procedure and is not acceptable procedure,” Jenkins said. “From the Constitution on down, our laws protect our right to open and transparent government. We need to have a law that stakeholders and abutters at any public project should be notified before signing any so-called agreement that substantially affects their property values and access to public resources.

Monday’s meeting saw several members address the issue. Council President Michael Farina discussed the alleged lack of transparency surrounding negotiations during his communications portion of the agenda. He said that the deal would have been thoroughly vetted in committee and, should it have passed by the full council, the public would have had its voice heard in all of those hearings. However, he expressed doubt that it would have made it out of public works committee at all.

“The public would have had their opportunities to speak,” Farina said. “We’re elected to think about things and hear testimony. We’re not elected to come up with opinions. I’m glad [Mayor Fung] pulled it. I can tell you Doric Park would not have passed.”

Ward 1 Councilman Steven Stycos, who was opposed to the partnership, was pleased with the public reaction to the proposed deal.

“I’m glad it was pulled,” Stycos said. “I don’t like the idea of leasing parks out to private groups. I think they’re public parks. I thought the public reaction was great. People stood up for their park. I was very happy.”

Council Vice President Michael Favicchio said that he did not have time to dive into the details of the license before it would have been heard in May. He did say, though, that some public-private development could be beneficial to the city.

“I figured if it made it to the committee, I would listen to the testimony, but I was kind of looking forward to having it vetted here,” Favicchio said. “My opinion is limited because I had very little information on it. I think some development, public-private development on sports facilities, is good, because otherwise we can’t afford to put turf fields everywhere in the city.”

While constituent outcry proved to be the death knell for the contract, the response wasn’t entirely negative. Martin Yarumian has seen both sides of the issue, coaching for both Cranston West boys’ soccer and the NEFC.

“People want to always preserve what they’re used to,” Yarumian said. “It’s not easy. [I’m] someone who does soccer full time, and to see how many kids are here, just look around, the amount of kids that are here from Cranston and from neighboring communities. People that are going to use this every day. It’s really great for them.”

Cranston resident Cheryl Thurber spoke Wednesday about the convenience the deal would have brought to her and her 10-year-old daughter, Ava, who is a member of NEFC. She’s been playing for the club about two years. They live about a half-mile from Doric Park, so the plan would have made things easier.

“It’ll be a lot easier,” Thurber said at the time. “We’re normally traveling to Fall River. We can just ride our bikes here.”