The Boston City Council today unanimously approved a request to the state Legislature to let Beth Israel and Dana Farber use a part of Joslin Park - a small park in front of what is now the Joslin Diabetes Center for staging during the construction of a new 14-story, 300-bed cancer hospital.

City Councilor Sharon Durkan, who proposed the measure, and who represents that area, said that ultimately, the park would actually be enlarged with construction of the new hospital, but that state law requires legislative approval of any loss of public parkland, even if temporary.

"There are hundreds of union jobs on the line," she said. "The future of cancer is on the line and most important, I know that the current configuration of this park is not suitable for the district that I represent."

Dur

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