Chicopee Public Schools Maintenance Director Scott Chapdelaine provides updates on current projects, ongoing facility improvements and capital improvement priorities.
Photo credit: ChicopeeTV
CHICOPEE — During the Sept. 3 School Committee meeting, Chicopee Public Schools Maintenance Director Scott Chapdelaine provided updates on current projects, ongoing facility improvements and capital improvement priorities.
The most major project that is currently taking place within Chicopee Public Schools is the Anna E. Barry Elementary School project.
Chicopee is working in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to build or renovate a new elementary school to replace the existing Barry School and be partially reimbursed for the project.
The ongoing project is currently in the schematic design phase. Four options are currently under consideration including renovation/addition or new construction.
The Building Commission is expected to select the preferred option in October.
Another major current project is Chicopee Comprehensive High School detention area and retaining wall project.
The project is currently in the design phase after the city appropriated $1.95 million last year.
Chapdelaine said the hope is to have the scope of work and cost estimates available by October so that he can present the entire project to the School Committee.
Chapdelaine also provided an update on the camera project for each school. He said that he and his team have been working on upgrading or installing more cameras in all 15 buildings.
The project is currently ahead of schedule. Every new camera system is currently up and running at 13 schools and expect the final two schools will be completed by the end of September.
For ongoing facility improvements, Chapdelaine and his team are working on a door replacement project, classroom air condition for nine schools, air handling unit replacement projects in two schools and phone system upgrades.
Chapdelaine highlighted three capital improvement priorities in order of most important to least important.
Priority one is a track resurfacing at Chicopee Comprehensive High School along with energy management replacement at Chicopee Comprehensive High School and Chicopee High School. It would also include a back parking lot extension at Bowe Elementary School.
Those projects are estimated to total $2.75 million, but Chapdelaine stated these numbers were estimated in February and he will not have an actual amount until the funds are approved and the projects go out to bid.
Priority two projects include track resurfacing at Chicopee High School, a Belcher Elementary School uni-vent upgrade, and gym/cafeteria air conditioning at seven schools.
Those projects are estimated to cost a total of $8.1 million.
Priority three projects include parking lot improvements at Bowie Elementary School and Szetela Pre-School, gym floor replacement at Litwin Elementary School and playground replacements at Bowie and Streiber Elementary School.
The School Committee approved requesting a total of $12.1 million from the mayor/City Council and Capital Planning Committee for the capital projects across all three priority levels.
Mayor John Vieau, who is the chair of the School Committee, explained that the city has created a Capital Planning Committee where all the departments meet and decide the projects that need to be completed each year. Vieau stated that the committee is aware of what the school district needs and said they will be meeting “very shortly.”
