1935-01-30 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SPECIAL MEETING of the PLANNING BOARD with the ' HIGH SCHOOL LOCATION COMMITTEE A special meeting of the Planning Board was held with the Committee for the Location of the New High School, at their invitation, in the Selectmen's Room of the Town Office Build - Ing on Wednesday, January 30, 1935, at 8:00 P. M, Those present were Messrs, Duffy, Ellis, Greeley, Kimball, and Robinson of the Planning Board, Messrs. Houghton and Misoher, and Mrs. Taft of the School Committee, and eight or ten of the Special Committee, and Mr. Grindle, Superintendent of Schools. Mr. James Stuart Smith, Chairman of the Committee, open- ed the meeting by explaining some of the facts in connection with the location of the new building:-- that the new building would be ultimately somewhat larger than the existing High and Junior High Schools combined; that only about half of it would be built at the present time; that it must have a gym- nasium and auditorium; that it was desirable to have a plot of about fifteen acres, primarily to accommodate an enclosed athletic field (there was some doubt if such a field could be acquired with public funds, however.); and that connection with existing sewer mains was felt to be necessary without in- volving too much expense. In answer to questions, Mr. Smith further explained that the School Committee felt sure that the necessary addition to ' the existing schools should be a new High School, in a fairly central location, and that such an addition was necessary with- in a very short time, as the existing High and Junior High Schools were already much over -crowded. The Planning Board was informed that the Committee had considered in particular five sites:- namely, the properties near Highland Avenue and Winthrop Road, on Winthrop Road near Vine Brook, the Mulliken property on Waltham Street, the old Pageant Grounds, and the Aldrich property. Some thought had been given to the land back of the Old Cemetery. It was pointed out that all figures that had been re- ceived in the line of tentative sale prices had seemed too high, although no idea was given to the Planning Board as to what these figures might be. It was pointed out that in choos- ing the location consideration would have to be given to additional expenses caused by construction of entrance roads and sewers, grading of land, foundation footings, and digging of cellars. All properties considered involved at least one of these problems. Mr, Duffy suggested that it might be possible to combine the construction of the new school and the preparation of its site, with the drainage of part of Vine Brook, but Mr. Smith intimated that this would be likely to cause undesirable delay as well as to thrust unfair responsibility on the School Committee. High School