FINAL
O,R&L CONCEPT PLAN
Now history...Fletcher-Thompson
overall plan for School and Town projects approved by Referendum (@$80
million for schools, parks and septic/tertiary State of Connecticut ordered
improvements):
![[IMAGE]](finalorl.jpg)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Members of the Town of Weston
Steering Committee include:
Hal Shupack, First Selectmen,
Co-Chair.
Mike Foster, Chair. of the
Board of Education, Co.-Chair.
Linda Pittleman, Board of
Education
Bob Atkinson, Board of Finance
Michael Greenberg, Building
Committee
Joe Fitzpatrick, Building
Committee
Dr. Janet Shaner, Superintendent
of Schools
Roy Hill, Town Administrator
John Conte, Town Engineer
Bob Uzenoff, Parks and Recreation
Commission
Tom Failla, Conservation
Commission
Marguerite Terzian, Planning
and Zoning Commission
Mary Kolik, W.H.S. Principal
Darli Ebling, W.M.S. Principal
Dr. Len Tomasello, Hurlbutt
Elementary Principal
ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS:
O,R&L, Inc. - Facility
Management
CJNA/Charles J. Nafie &
Associates - Architects, Planners and Interior Design
BL Companies - Civil Engineering
& Landscape Architects
The LZA Group - M/E/P &
Structural Engineers
THE PLAN
HAS NOW BEEN FORMALIZED--
"The goal of this study
is to provide a practical plan that could be implemented on a timely basis
to meet the immediate and long term demands impacting the Weston Public
School System." There are ten "findings and recommendations" in the Executive
Summary:
FINDINGS
(summarized and reworded)
1. Population will increase
over ten years by more than 800 students.
2. The Town lacks indoor
recreation space for students and/or the community at large.
3. Auditorium at
the high school is overused; art and music rooms undersized.
4. Parking is a problem
at all schools and contributes to traffic problems...
5. Bus Barn must go.
6. Entrances to campus are
dangerous
7. Pedestrian/vehicular
conflicts...
8. Unsafe pedestrian
circulation; poor lighting and
9. Existing recreation
fields are inadequate.
10. School bus garage traffic,
other vehicles and other uses are in conflict.
Existing
(Yr. 2000) Conditions:
The problem, as expressed
by Architect/Planners at February 26 meeting: to accomodate projected school
population (over the next ten years) while upgrading facilities to State
standards. Spread sheets are available; all costs are as of June 2000 (when
it is hoped the design phase of the project can begin).
How much
should this all cost?
The pricetag (factoring
in cost of furniture, contingency, etc.): more than $70 million - but not
including cost of sewer/septic solution, and not subtracting for any State
of Connecticut grant funds (up to 20%, perhaps). Previously, these extra
dollars had not been included during presentations...
Plan 4A: Keeping
all grades on Campus, the Final Plan calls for some major changes.
Plan 4A
- Preferred Alternative
This choice includes the
construction of a 3-4-5 school on the site between Hurlbutt and Weston
High School - where the Little League fields are now located. It is expected
that the new building could be placed NOT in the wetlands, and that any
wetland crossings would not be too damaging. In any event, it will be for
the Army Corps of Engineers to review and grant permission if this is the
design that is chosen for the new building (shown as a very pale pink shape
above). Also, please note that the second story 20 classroom addition for
the High School is placed as an insert on the above drawing.
A central kitchen is located
in the high school, with satellite kitchens in the other buildings (saving
food preparation space and other costs). Hurlbutt gets expansion
of its library, new gym space.
Weston
Middle School with new auditorium...
The cafeteria will be upgraded,
and the Library expanded, as its 160,000 square feet are changed to hold
only grades 6-7-8. However, enrollment, by the end of the ten-year cycle
of this Plan, will be back up to the limits of this facility!
The Middle School - now designed
to hold grades 6-7-8, gains space on the edges; a 400 seat auditorium
is planned off the side of the building near the pool patio.
Weston
High School...
WHS will now have a second
floor (over the existing courtyard) to accomodate 20 new classrooms...the
cafeteria will be moved to the present site of lockers, with a new "Field
House" containing new locker space and lots of indoor recreation courts,
etc. easily closed off from teaching areas for community use...
School Road will be moved
farther away from the High School entrance--and closer to the residential
neighborhood abutting the School Road Campus. The high school parking lot,
if this plan is built as shown, will be immediately accessible to the school
(no doubt with appropriate sidewalks to protect pedestrians from cars within
the lot itself)...one problem with this idea is that the residential property
owners will probably not be happy having the traffic closer to their houses.
Which came first--the residences or the schools?
Weston
High School is due a really big upgrade, as recommended in this study...
"...The high school is comprised
of 123,000 square feet of space, all one-story. The student population
is 474 students this year; in the year 2002-03 the enrollment will be 614
student. The building has an effective enrollment of 600 students" O,R&L's
report states in the section devoted to the high school.
There are
two choices for location of a new 3-4-5 ("upper elementary") school.
The new 3-4-5 school could
be in the swamp...The PREFERRED LOCATION for a new Intermediate
Elementary School ("3-4-5") is where the Little League Fields were built
(by volunteers)...
NOT PREFERRED OPTION
IS ON REVSON FIELD
![[IMAGE]](revsn.jpg)
Revson Field is a secret garden.
If this option were to be selected,
existing septic fields for the Schools
would be invaded.
Today Revson Field appears
as shown above...
If the alternative known
as "Four 'A' Prime" is selected, O,R&L advises that its benefits would
be to avoid the delays inherent is seeking wetlands and Army Corps of Engineers
approvals. ("Four 'A' would require placement of some development in the
wetlands on School Road.)
Other plan options reviewed...
During the course of this
planning exercise, much changed in Weston--a new First Selectman was elected,
a new Chair. of the Board of Education took office, a new Superintendent
of Schools was hired...and all conceivable alternates were considered--including
a "new high school somewhere"...(not shown on this Internet summary, but
known as "Option 5")...
One option, 4A.1 ("four A-prime"),
is still in play because it keeps to the "School Road Campus" concept--although
it would require abandonment of the present site for school septic systems.
It is known as "3-4-5 on Revson" and is the drawing above at the top left...
To review the meeting record
of activity for the Facility Planning exercise, please click below and
then scroll down to FACILITIES PLANNING (just below photo of Commission
Room entrance to Town Hall):
PUBLIC
MEETING
NOTES
The
School Construction Plan holds implications for athletic programs
system-wide--as well as a clear threat to the community's use of remaining
playing fields (such as adult softball)--which may be severely curtailed...until
and unless a new location is developed for community fields.
This is a distinct
possibility with a successful outlook. "Morehouse Farm Park" as the
Minerva Heady parcel is now called, is available for Town use one year
early, thanks to Mrs. Heady's generousity. Located off Newtown Turnpike,
it is accessible from either side of Town via either Newtown Turnpike or
Valley Forge Road. During the Town Meeting called for the purpose
of purchase, remarks upon the beauty of the views across the Reservoir
and all of southern Weston were described. I can't wait to play softball
there!
![[IMAGE]](whsfinl2.jpg)
Weston High School TROJANS wear the
blue-and-gold; ladies' softball teams (such as the LAX & TRUAX,
LLC offices above) play through the noise and dust while new fields are
under construction... Click
to return to ABOUT
WESTON
top page...