Daniel and Thomas Smith make a presentation on a proposed new school yesterday at St. John’s Church. (Photo by Don Wielgus)
WESTFIELD – Nearly 50 neighbors of the proposed new school on Ashley and Cross streets came out yesterday for a presentation on why the school is not right for the neighborhood.
The presentation was made by brothers Daniel and Thomas Smith and was held at St. John’s Church.
The Smiths grew up on Cross Street in the home where their mother still lives. The brothers said they are part owners of the house, which is directly across from the corner of Cross and Ashley streets, and they have numerous concerns about the project.
“The school is actually really nice, just not on Cross Street,” said Daniel Smith.
The school was approved for more than 60 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and is a model school, based on a school in Williamstown. The school will house 600 elementary students and will have a separate kindergarten wing, several gardens and a new basketball court at a cost of$35.9 million. The state is offering a $23,197,382 grant.
The Smiths argued that the model school is too large for the space. Superimposing a scale model of the school onto Fenway Park , they said the school would not fit in the field there and the height of the school is almost as tall as the Green Monster.
One of the major concerns expressed by the Smith brothers was the legality of some of the processes used in getting the school approved for the site, particularly because the field there is owned by the Park and Recreation Department. Cross Street Playground is permanently protected land, said Daniel Smith, and can only be transferred under a law called Article 97.
“Cross Street Playground is not available,” he said. “It is protected open space in perpetuity.”
He said there is a specific order of events that, by law, should be taken before the land could be given over to the city for use for school property. Daniel Smith said the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, headed by Westfield resident Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., has an “arduous” process for changing the way open space land is protected.
The process includes a town vote or a two-thirds vote by a city council. If that passes, the vote goes before the House and Senate, then must be signed-off by the governor. The Smiths claim Mayor Daniel Knapik has said he will take those proper steps after the project has begun, which they said is a strategic move.
“We are hoping very soon to file papers in Superior Court to stop this,” said Thomas Smith. “We want an injunction and a review.”
The brothers, along with another neighbor, are paying for costs associated with filing in court and creation of the web site savetheneighborhood.org.
Another issue for the residents is parking.
Daniel Smith said there is not enough parking planned and he believes the fields will be used for parking. An agreement between the school department and the Diocese of Springfield is being drawn for use of the St. Peter and St. Casimir parking lot, and another small lot is part of the plan. However, said the Smiths, that is still not enough parking.
“They estimate 114 vehicles for faculty and staff and the St. Peter’s parking lot has only 95 spaces. There are 15 spaces designated on Cross Street and another 10 on Ashley Street,” said Daniel Smith, adding that those spaces include designated drop-off and pick-up spaces for parents.
He also raised the question about what happens when there is a funeral at the church. He said when he inquired, he was informed that the parish pastor would inform the school the day before a funeral so teachers would not use the parking lot.
“So where will they park?” said Daniel Smith. “On Cross Street? In front of our houses? In our driveways?”
Residents expressed concern about students who are designated as “walkers” being driven to school. The Smiths said the school department officially designates a 1.5 mile radius around schools for “walkers.” This means students living as far as the Westfield Armory on Franklin Street would be required to walk to school.
“So the natural consequence of that is parents will drive their kids,” said one member of the audience. “I’d rather have one bus than 45 cars.”
Daniel Smith also said he was concerned about the traffic that would create. He also questioned where children would go in case of a fire, or fire drill, when the school is planned to be built just 18 feet from the sidewalk.
“They thought of everything but the kids and parking,” said Thomas Smith.
The brothers also said there is a stream that runs close to the surface of the site, just about five feet underground.
“When they put in a 47,000 square-foot foundation, where is that water going to go?” said Daniel Smith. “It’s going to go sideways, so if your basement is dry now, it may be wet after this project.”
Thomas Smith encouraged residents asking how to gain more attention to these concerns, to tell more people.
“Tell your friends, neighbors and family,” he said. “Call your at-large councilors. Send emails – just tell people.”
One audience member said everyone with concerns should attend school committee, school building committee and city council meetings and speak up.
A school building committee meeting is scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m.
