from September 18, 2015

WESTFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - A $36 million construction bid was accepted in Westfield to build a new elementary school. Some neighbors are outraged at the location of the new building and started a petition against the transfer of land that would be used to build the new school. The plan is for the school to be built at the corner of Ashley and Cross St. and for the park that’s there now to move to Ponders Hollow Rd. Many residents say these changes aren'’t good for the community.

Ernest Simmons has lived on Cross St. for most of his life and doesn’t want the congestion of a new school in his neighborhood.

"We already have a lot of traffic and now you're talking about bringing numerous buses and parents do not want their kids walking a mile and a half, there will be cars coming up and down the street," said Simmons.

Right now at the building site of the new school lies an old, gated, rundown playground which is run by the city of Westfield. Residents say the new location for the park is undesirable and started a petition against the park moving to Ponders Hollow Rd. At one point the fire department used this land for training exercises, but agreed to give it back to the city to allow the construction of the new building.

Thomas Smith started the petition and says the size of the building would be overbearing to the neighborhood.

"We were never opposed to a new school, it wasn't until we saw the drastic size of the new building and the six hundred student capacity, and the design of the new school that we started to fight the design of the school," Said Smith.

“It’s massively grotesquely big for this little neighborhood,” said Dan Smith

Residents say the new school site is actually protected by the national park service and therefore the city shouldn’t be able to use the land. Because the $36 million construction bid was accepted it would only cost the town $11 million to build the new school.

City counselor Ralph Figy says closing the schools Abner Gibbs, Franklin Avenue, and Juniper Park would help tax payers.

"Our school budget was 1.5 million out of whack this year, we had a deficit of 1.5 million, if the school would have been built on time we would of had a deficit of about $350,000 versus $1.5 million, so there's a very big impact to the tax payer of Westfield," said Figy

Residents are hoping that with the petition the city will be able to figure out a new location for the elementary school

posted by Jeff Bennett