Published: 11/30/2007
Bialek Park eyed for police/fire facility
By Steve Landwehr
Staff writer
IPSWICH - One solution to the town's public safety facility crisis was firmly nixed last night, but another appears to be on the fast track for serious consideration.
The Public Safety Facility Study Committee asked schools Superintendent Rick Korb to find out if the state would help pay for a new elementary school if the town took over Winthrop School as the site of a police and fire station and dispatch center and built a new school elsewhere.
In Korb's words, the likelihood is, "Zero and none - and none just left town."
Korb noted the School Building Authority has changed its tune in recent years and now prefers renovating old buildings rather than tearing them down. He also pointed out the school has had significant capital improvements in the last five years, some of them partially reimbursed by the state.
It's highly unlikely, he said, that the authority would be willing to see that investment go down the drain while helping fund a new school at the same time.
The school has been cited for a lack of program space, particularly in the gymnasium and auditorium, which are both too small to hold the entire student body safely. But, Korb said, the authority would probably pay to expand the school before it would consider replacing it.
With Winthrop off the table, Public Safety Facility Study Committee Chairman Jim Foley turned the discussion to other town-owned properties that might be acceptable. One, the sledding field in front of Cable Gardens, was a little too far from the northern sections of town by fire Chief Art Howe's estimation and too far from downtown to be accessible for pedestrians for police Chief Gavin Keenan's liking.
So discussion turned to Bialek Park, where the Park Commission controls nearly 15 acres. Several study committee members noted the playing field closest to the intersection of Linebrook Road and the MBTA commuter rail tracks is the least used at the park. Somewhere around three acres is needed for a public safety campus, and Foley noted state law requires the town find equivalent space elsewhere in town if it takes any away from the park.
Foley said the Bialek option has been considered before, but in response to a question from Town Manager Bob Markel about whether there was neighborhood opposition, Foley said talks never got that far.
Some concern was expressed about siting the fire station so near the railroad line, but the fact is there are five crossings in town no matter which side of the tracks the station is on, and Howe didn't think it was a huge issue.
There was no disagreement about the need for new facilities. Plant and Facilities Director Bill Hodge said the fire station is unsafe, and the police station isn't far behind. The floor in the fire station is in danger of collapsing, and as for the police station, "That building isn't going to support too many more pigeons," Hodge joked.
By unanimous vote, the committee agreed to ask Winter Street Associates, which conducted earlier site assessments for the committee, to take a look at Bialek and come up with a basic feasibility study in January, with the aim being to ask Town Meeting for approval for an engineering study.
Foley noted it will be critical to have a land swap identified before the project goes anywhere. Markel also pointed out it will be important to involve the Park Commission immediately, and Foley said he would do that today.
Bialek Park eyed for police/fire facility
By Steve Landwehr
Staff writer
IPSWICH - One solution to the town's public safety facility crisis was firmly nixed last night, but another appears to be on the fast track for serious consideration.
The Public Safety Facility Study Committee asked schools Superintendent Rick Korb to find out if the state would help pay for a new elementary school if the town took over Winthrop School as the site of a police and fire station and dispatch center and built a new school elsewhere.
In Korb's words, the likelihood is, "Zero and none - and none just left town."
Korb noted the School Building Authority has changed its tune in recent years and now prefers renovating old buildings rather than tearing them down. He also pointed out the school has had significant capital improvements in the last five years, some of them partially reimbursed by the state.
It's highly unlikely, he said, that the authority would be willing to see that investment go down the drain while helping fund a new school at the same time.
The school has been cited for a lack of program space, particularly in the gymnasium and auditorium, which are both too small to hold the entire student body safely. But, Korb said, the authority would probably pay to expand the school before it would consider replacing it.
With Winthrop off the table, Public Safety Facility Study Committee Chairman Jim Foley turned the discussion to other town-owned properties that might be acceptable. One, the sledding field in front of Cable Gardens, was a little too far from the northern sections of town by fire Chief Art Howe's estimation and too far from downtown to be accessible for pedestrians for police Chief Gavin Keenan's liking.
So discussion turned to Bialek Park, where the Park Commission controls nearly 15 acres. Several study committee members noted the playing field closest to the intersection of Linebrook Road and the MBTA commuter rail tracks is the least used at the park. Somewhere around three acres is needed for a public safety campus, and Foley noted state law requires the town find equivalent space elsewhere in town if it takes any away from the park.
Foley said the Bialek option has been considered before, but in response to a question from Town Manager Bob Markel about whether there was neighborhood opposition, Foley said talks never got that far.
Some concern was expressed about siting the fire station so near the railroad line, but the fact is there are five crossings in town no matter which side of the tracks the station is on, and Howe didn't think it was a huge issue.
There was no disagreement about the need for new facilities. Plant and Facilities Director Bill Hodge said the fire station is unsafe, and the police station isn't far behind. The floor in the fire station is in danger of collapsing, and as for the police station, "That building isn't going to support too many more pigeons," Hodge joked.
By unanimous vote, the committee agreed to ask Winter Street Associates, which conducted earlier site assessments for the committee, to take a look at Bialek and come up with a basic feasibility study in January, with the aim being to ask Town Meeting for approval for an engineering study.
Foley noted it will be critical to have a land swap identified before the project goes anywhere. Markel also pointed out it will be important to involve the Park Commission immediately, and Foley said he would do that today.
