HomeMy WebLinkAbout1935-01-30SPECIAL 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
The only idea of comparative land costs given was that
the Aldrich property, despite buildings, amounted to much less
per foot than the Vine Brook property, but that the Aldrich
property amounted to 28 acres, all of which would have to be
bought.
Meeting was adjourned at 10:00 P. M.
Respectfull-y submitted,
Roland B. Greeley, (Signed)
Clerk
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