An opportunity for Suffield Residents to re-purpose the Historic Bridge Street School into their Community Center
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An opportunity for Suffield Residents to re-purpose the Historic Bridge Street School into their Community Center.
VOTE on Thursday,
October 8th, 2015
At Suffield Middle School
"Will WE sell this property, or keep it?"
To see the latest information on the
Community Center Proposal, please visit:
www.bridgestcommunity.org
To see the latest information on the
Community Center Proposal, please visit:
Welcome to: www.bridgestreetschool.com
LAND: Sell Off ?
Town First Selectman: "…We can't think of what we need it for."
Concerned citizen, on preservation:
"future generations that take our place here will have no premium center village district to enhance for the benefit of all –not just a few."
Noted from the August 2, 2012 Town meeting
In deciding what your Town center will look like 50 years
from now. . . W h a t d o y o u s e e ?
fforts to take action on making
good use of the building were taken up
right away in 2004 when the town took Bridge Street School back from
the Board of Education. Ten years later, a trail of frustrated efforts, missed opportunities, convoluted plans, and failed proposals have not yet given Suffield residents the chance to vote on a popular common sense proposal.
E
"T h e F u t u r e i s N o w."
~ Ray Kurzwiel
C
learly now, an increasingly greater number of townspeople agree that
we do not want to divest ourselves of this place, and that the facilities we want and need for town use could be fulfilled here. Paying rent for inadequet municipal space is not the right policy anymore. Not taking steps to preserve and use this valuable asset is not acceptable and cause for real concern. A forward thinking, and "big picture" plan for
community enrichment is gaining greater popular support by Suffield families. This needs to be recognized and taken into consideration by the appropriate Boards and Commissions. There is a clear perspective now on what has come before, and what must come next– for now and the future.
opinions.
An
contrast
of
unprecedented
"Those Who Govern having much
business on their hands, do not generally
like to take the trouble of considering and
carrying into execution new projects.
The best public measures are therefore
seldom adopted from previous wisdom
but forced by the occasion."
Benjamin Franklin
Local Newspapers: Southwick-Suffield News, Reminder News, The Journal Inquirer, The Suffield Observer, The Hartford Courant, and the Union News (of Springfield Massachusetts) have done a good job covering a story; obviously very close to the hearts of many Town residents, without partisan bias.
A citizen group organizes to convince town officials: "A Community Activity Center- a real home for the Park & Recreation Department"
There truly appears to be a definite and embedded determination going forward to make that conviction.
"…I would like to continue with our discussion by saying that although most of us feel that selling the land is not something we might not think is wise or would like to see happen, it's something that we should give due consideration to here."
Anonymous Study Committee member
source: minutes of a 2009 committee meeting.
* to be better informed please continue…
Official bipartisan study reports:
Time & money invested that's been sidelined?
To view these documents click on the sub-menu under "Press • Official Reports" above.
Three Bridge Street School Study Committee Reports were carefully crafted.
Volunteers were recruited from the community who had ties to the school or
experience and interest based on serving for town commissions.
Each participant brought unique perspectives from their varied fields of expertise.
It was an equally divided bipartisan effort.
The first group, in late 2005 was a "Space Needs Study Committee"
Their conclusion was drafted in the form of a letter which deemed the building sound and valuable to the town. It was also recommended that the building and the land be preserved because of that value, for a future use to be determined.
It was further resolved that taking steps to continue maintenance of the building, and the land was the logical and prudent course of action.
Beginning in 2008, and through 2009 two more extensive studies were conducted.
Many hours of meetings and consultation with Engineers, Town Officials, Architects, Building contractors, etc. were conducted to arrive at a viable and practical design conclusion, which would best serve the interest of the pub;ic.
It's very unfortunate and frustrating that a for what seems like a lack of political will, the work on these plans would not receive due consideration.
Public input and participation was mistakenly not sought out.
Q:
"In the last eight years the Town has spent nearly a million dollars to rent municipal office space when we own this perfectly usable building outright. Where's the sense in that?"
A:
(Official reply:) "I can't answer that question. We don't see a need for the building, and the costs of maintenance and the needed repairs is a burden to the Town. Going forward with this [apartments building] proposal will put that burden on someone else."
Noted from the September 6, 2012 Town meeting
n the interest of representing fair and balanced opinions and commentary, BSS.com is welcoming every Town Official, Former Study Committee member,Commission officer, etc., who has served in the last decade to please participate : Provide explainations to clarify, share your vision, state your position - every bit of information is needed to attain our goal of promoting a full understanding of this issue.
I
To View the official reports,
click on the sub-menus under
Press • Official Reports
at the top of this page.
* Thank you for taking the time to be better informed.
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