Editor’s note: See this Lincoln Squirrel article for information on the school project and this one for coverage of the community center charrette.
To the editor:
This coming Saturday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the State of the Town meeting (SOTT) in the Brooks auditorium, we will have an opportunity to weigh in on two important projects that are making their way through the town decision-making process: the community center project and a school building project. We will be discussing “pathways” for both projects, but all pathways have certain pitfalls and potholes that must be addressed before we can pave a route that the whole town might travel together.
Both projects are an outcome of votes at last year’s Town Meeting. Both projects are a response to programmatic and capital needs. Both projects make it clear that there is not a “do nothing option.”
School buildings require, at a minimum, significant repairs and probably new spaces to serve programmatic change. The community center would serve the Council on Aging (COA) and the Parks and Recreation (P&R) and the rest of Lincoln residents as well. The COA is currently housed in Bemis Hall, which is in need of repairs and expanded spaces to serve COA. P&R is housed in the oldest portions of the Hartwell complex, and those buildings require repair and changes to continue to serve any department or program. A co-location of COA and P&R in one site, and thus the creation of a community center, could save costs and offer new program opportunities. Perhaps the school campus might offer such a site. And there may be some exciting opportunities for collaboration between those planning for a school project and those planning for a community center… the creation of a “community campus.”
But, while the concepts for the projects advance, they may face some pitfalls and potholes that could emerge at SOTT.
The school project has been greatly enhanced by the leadership of Superintendent Becky McFall, co-chair of the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC). She has brought a clearly articulated vision and strategic plan for education in Lincoln. The positive contributions of Superintendent McFall, a new architectural team, and several charrettes have created a positive atmosphere and smoothed a previously bumpy path. These welcome changes should help facilitate any school project moving forward. However, critical questions remain that may be answered at SOTT.
Last year’s Town Meeting voted up to $250,000 to provide the town choices—a variety of options, both in cost and design. To date, we have been presented variations that focus primarily on only one design.
While renovated and/or new buildings could certainly enhance the new strategic plan, we do not yet know at what cost. Much pricing information has been discussed, but any decision must be informed by a clear presentation of the benefit of each level of investment in buildings and programmatic enhancement. In addition, we have yet to see projects that examine a town-only vs. a partial-state-funding approach. These would most likely be vastly different projects. Will SOTT offer some information that allows us to contemplate a true variety of approaches in design and cost as voted at last Town Meeting?
The community center is a decidedly simpler and more straightforward project to describe and understand. The process has benefitted from strong leadership of former Selectman Penny Billings, chair of the Community Center Study Committee, and the involvement of the COA, P&R, at-large members and Board of Selectman chair Renel Fredriksen (who, as liaison to the schools, has attended SBAC meetings). The School Committee and the PTO have been regular attendees and contributors.
The community center survey, charrette and other outreach efforts have revealed the advantages and pitfalls of various town-owned locations for a project. But, like the SBAC, this committee has yet to reveal the price tags of the various options. Hopefully the SOTT presentations will reveal what has been missing to date and allow our community to engage in thoughtful conversation. And perhaps both of these projects can collaborate to provide a community campus.
As the American Architectural Foundation has said, “The ‘schools as centers of community’ model of school planning and design is growing increasingly popular in the United States. Schools are becoming a gathering place—a place of lifelong learning, shared health and fitness facilities, and a host of other services to enhance community and student success. At its core, this is also a question of design. In order to create ‘schools as centers of community,’ architects, educators, designers, local officials and residents must think differently about our schools and create spaces that reflect a new understanding of the school building.”
Perhaps this will be a model that Lincoln also chooses to embrace. SOTT will be one more step along the way to whichever project or projects the town supports. Please attend—learn and contribute to building a solid pathway for our shared future.
Sincerely,
Sara Mattes
71 Conant Rd.
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