Stadium included in $90M bond plan

By John Howell
Posted 8/16/16

The Cranston Stadium is where the championship games are played, where the community comes together for major events, and where there is neutral ground" for Cranston East and Cranston West fans. There's no such venue in Warwick."

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Stadium included in $90M bond plan

Posted

The Cranston Stadium is where the championship games are played, where the community comes together for major events, and where there is “neutral ground” for Cranston East and Cranston West fans.

There’s no such venue in Warwick. Thanksgiving football games are played at the field of one of the competing high schools. The following year, the location is usually switched.

With the closing of Vets as a high school, Superintendent Philip Thornton thinks the Vets field and nearby Mickey Stevens Sports Complex make for an ideal centrally located venue for a Warwick stadium. The stadium is the sizzle to a proposed school facilities bond of $90.8 million that Thornton would like to see come before the voters in a 2017 special election. It’s a lot of money, but only about a third of what’s needed to upgrade school buildings, the newest of which are part of the Robert J. Shapiro Toll Gate Educational Complex and now more than 40 years old.

Consultants estimate $250 million is required to bring school heating and electrical systems up to date; make the building compliant with the American Disabilities Act; upgrade exterior facilities, including the repaving of parking lots and access roads and roofing; remove asbestos; and upgrade the building “envelope” that includes windows and doors.

Thornton has the list on a white board in his office. It occupies a corner in blue marker below an extensive list of other projects the superintendent has on his agenda.

Building improvements and the stadium are more than pipe dreams. Last Tuesday, the School Committee approved a $175,000 contract with Symmes Maini & McKee Associates to develop a facilities and education plan for the district compliant with the Rhode Island Department of Education. SMMA will develop a Stage 1 and Stage 2 application for construction.

RIDE approval is essential, as the district is looking for the state to cover 40 percent of project costs. RIDE requires a Stage 1 assessment by Oct. 14 and the more detailed Stage 2 by Feb. 1, 2017.

Of course, that’s just a piece of the financing puzzle. In order to get a referendum on the ballot, the committee will need to get a favorable resolution approved by the City Council and then the support of state legislators. Only then can it get on the ballot, and the voters will have the opportunity to approve or vote down the plan.

Also, undecided at this point is whether the city or schools, or a combination of the two, will be faced with the principal and interest payments. While the money eventually comes out of the taxpayers’ pocket, the city administration has required schools to budget the financing costs before issuing voter-approved bonds. In the last year, citing renewed cooperation between schools and the city, Mayor Scott Avedisian budgeted to have the city cover half those costs in the current fiscal year.

Thornton said he has talked with the mayor about the larger bonding proposal, but details remain to be worked out.

If approved, Thornton said the effort would be to make improvements as quickly as possible given that some would be restricted to the summer when schools are closed. Boilers and roofs would be replaced in a number of schools. In place of oil-fired heating systems, Thornton is looking to natural gas systems. LED lighting, now being installed at the renovated Pilgrim and Vets auditorium, Thornton said, ties into energy saving programs backed by National Grid that in the course of time will generate huge savings for schools.

The stadium, which Thornton estimated would cost $7 million, could provide a venue for regional events. He sees it as dovetailing with the city’s skating rinks and swimming pool as offering a place for sporting events.

Asked about updating schools and classrooms to technological advances, Thornton said many of those improvements, such as touch screen technology, are being funded through the school-operating budget. He said the district is directed at creating the 21st century classroom where there is a wireless environment and students have their own devices.

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  • richardcorrente

    Dear Dr. Thornton,

    You want $250,000,000 from the taxpayers to update our schools which is a noble task, except for one thing. Warwick taxpayers can't afford it! We are not "Taxed Enough Already" (TEA). We are now "Taxed Beyond All Reason" (TBAR). It would be nice to have a state-of-the-art educational facility but aren't we getting WAY ahead of ourselves? Shouldn't we have teachers under contract first? They are willing to sit with you and School Committee (SC) and negotiate a contract. Why are you stalling? In the court of Public Opinion Phil, the SC has lost and lost BIG. Without quality teachers, some of which have already moved on to other towns and cities, all these beautiful renovations will be for vacant buildings. Without students, some of which have already enrolled in other schools, these beautiful renovations will be for nothing!

    I am not an educator. I'm a businessman. The School Committee, as a business is a colossal failure. Since 2009 the Warwick taxpayers have given the SC over a billion dollars and we have almost NOTHING to brag about. Phil, fix the teacher contract first. Then, on the heels of that success, talk to the Warwick taxpayers about "step 2" I promise; you will get a much better reception, at least from this taxpayer. I do admire your diligent efforts and wish you success with the teachers. Today would be a good day to call them.

    Take good care.

    Richard Corrente

    Endorsed Democrat for Mayor

    Tuesday, August 16, 2016 Report this

  • markyc

    Superintendent Thornton: These all may be worthwhile projects. However, Warwick taxpayers don't have the money &/or the time for your wish list(the various City & State approvals may take a couple of years). I believe you're presently under a three year contract-how about concentrating on that period. 1) A new teachers contract- not operating under/within an 'extended' one or wasting time & money in court. A new contract would show teachers/parents/students/the City Council/Mayor/taxpayers that you & the School Committee are working under a good faith plan. 2) School Consolidation- I believe you should concentrate on this because I believe there will be some unexpected issues as this process goes forward during this school year. 3) Phase 2 of consolidation-WHICH elementary schools are going to be closed; I believe the consultants recommended as many as 5 & the SC plans on closing 3 with one school being converted to an early learning facility because the present one will not meet RI Dept. of Educations' future/minimum requirements. Provide the Warwick community with regular PUBLIC meetings/ updates on this process/plan.

    The SC/administration has bragged about all the present improvements being made & how everything is on schedule for the Aug. 31st opening of schools. However, the FIRST PRIORITY should have been the Vets boiler. We can't expect as mild a winter as this past year. I believe you indicated this summer that regardless of the winter forthcoming you & the SC will not allow Vets students/staff to work in a poor educational environment-that's OK. because we no longer have a CHOICE. However it plays/works out, the School Dept. should have foreseen whatever requirements needed to be met with RIDEC to have a new HVAC system in place for THIS winter/school year. To maintain/repair the existing system is not an efficient use of TAXPAYER funding. If you can't manage operations as is how can we authorize funding for an additional $ 250 million?

    Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this