WESTFIELD – A group of Juniper Park Elementary School parents spoke during public participation Thursday night linking the taking of Main Street farmland and the construction of a new elementary school, imploring the City Council members to support both issues.
Parents expressed concern that their children will be placed in modular classrooms after June of 2015 after the city vacates the Juniper Park building at the termination of the lease for that property with the state. The building will revert to Westfield State University for its use.
A number of opponents to the taking of the 33-acres of Wielgus Trust farmland and to the construction of a 600-student elementary “mega” school at the intersection of Ashley and Cross streets, petitioned the council members to reject the land taking, an action which will have a dire effect on the future of the school construction project.
The political activation of the Juniper Park parents, Ward 4 residents, creates a difficult position for Councilor Mary O’Connell, who opposes both the Wielgus land taking by eminent domain, and the school construction project.
O’Connell said Friday morning that she has always voted her conscience and has not been swayed by the winds of political convenience during here nine-year tenure on the council.
“I have been opening a dialogue with the Juniper parents,” O’Connell said. “I want them to know that this is not on the City Council. It’s on the School Committee, which signed an agreement to vacate Juniper Park, an agreement which should have not been signed when the school (construction) project is not moving forward quickly. That action will put those kids into modular classrooms.”
Parent Zavras Bentrewicz said she “feels strongly that if the City Council does not vote to acquire that land” Westfield will “be bumped to the bottom” of the Massachusetts School Building Authority project priority list.
“As a voter and tax payer I’m asking you to look to the future. The past cannot be changed,” Bentrewicz said.
Tom Smith, a Holyoke resident whose family owns a Cross Street property, refuted Bentrewicz’s assertion.
“The MSBA regulations has no mention that (Westfield) has to go to the back of the line,” Smith said. “All that has to be done is to change the (school project) location and Alice (Wielgus) will not lose her land.”
Elli Meyer said she moved her family to Westfield 14 years ago because of the quality of the city’s school district. Meyer said that she is in “support of the model school because (elementary school) classrooms are outdated and overcrowded.”
Robert Braceland, a proponent of the new school project, said, “I wish we could just move forward. Good schools are mandatory to be good citizens. These are tough decisions, but we need to do the best for today and tomorrow.”
Another school proponent said, “I have a daughter with special needs. We need a school that works for my kids, a place where they can grow. What they don’t need are modular classrooms.”
Barbara Rokosz, an opponent of the Wielgus land taking, said the property is not needed to provide additional youth athletic fields and that fields existing today are underutilized.
“I hope the councilors tell the truth, that taking this land does not mean the school will be built,” Rokosz said.
