WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. November 29, 2005: In the course of setting a discussion date to evaluate and set priorities for possible renovation of school facilities based on the recent study of a five year facilities plan prepared by Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson, the topic of renovation of the high school football stadium came up.

The Loucks Dream. Not Committed to, yet. Photo, WPCNR News

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors made a statement to the Board of Education Monday evening to correct an impression created by a letter from the White Plains High School Athletic Fund, Inc., distributed to attendees of last week’s White Plains-Stepinanc Turkey Bowl Game. The letter, Connors pointed out to the Board, was distributed without his knowledge or the school district permission. He said no prior commitments had been made on going ahead with any suggestions and improvements to any schools or facilities at this time. He said those priorties, choices, and timetables, if any,  would be discussed at a meeting on December 19, 7:30 at Education House.

Connors, toward the end of the biweekly Board of Education meeting Monday night said, “There is no commitment to build anything. We have only committed to a Study.”

A False Start?

The Athletic Fund letter was actively distributed to some 1,000 fans and was included with a reply envelope (for a contribution) in the football program for the Thanksgiving Day Game. The letter contained language that could be construed to indicate the School District was already actively committed to execute  the Fund’s renovation program for Loucks Field. (Athletic facilities had been included in the K. G. & D. study as part of general consideration of athletic facilities.)

The language in the Athletic Fund letter read: “Earlier this fall, the White Plains Board of Education was presented with an architect’s report that outlined a comprehensive upgrade at all the schools in the district, including the high school, two middle schools and five elementary schools. Renovations and construction would include physical building and athletic facilities at all locations. The costs estimated for all projects would range from $50 million to $90 million, and would be submitted as a bond authorization to voters in spring 2006. In the meantime the School Board is stydying the proposal to determine the specifics and priority of proposed items it would wish to recommend to the voters.”

Upon Further Review.

Connors told the Board of Education he had no prior knowledge of the  WPHS Athletic Fund intent to distribute the letter, no one on the Athletic Fund board had spoken to him about it  and he wanted to make it clear that no commitments to execute any projects detailed in the study prepared by Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson Architects, included a $5 Million renovation to Loucks Field, and $3 Million renovations of Parker Stadium and Eastview Fields, had been made, contrary to what the letter conveyed.

The letter from Daniel Woodard, the Chairman of the Athletic Fund, said, “If  (Loucks Field renovations were) adopted, renovations would include a new, synthetic field, a new eight-lane track; lighting; home/away seating with a capacity of 3,250; shrubbery and landscaping. The new field would accommodate such sports as field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer and track & field, as well as other events.”

Official Measurement.

Woodard’s letter seemed to imply the School District had enthusiastically assumed responsibility for renovating the stadium (by including it in the study), and by the White Plains High School Athletic Fund calling for additional contributions from the public for amenities to the Loucks high school athletic complex in addition to the stadium infrastructure (that the School District would execute) in this statement:

“However, more is needed to be done. To help develop and create a truly multipurpose, first-class facility capable of hosting a wide range of quality activities and events, the WPHS Athletic Fund is seeking donations to augment the School Board proposal.

Among the projects still needed: a wholly new field house with lockers, meeting and class rooms, and coaches’ offices; a main entrance plaza; state-of-the-art press box, concession stands and sound system. All told, these projects would range $2-3 million in cost.” (Editor’s Note: This is in addition to the $5 million called for in the  Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson study).

Connors emphasized that the Board would consider what the district had to do and needed to do for buildings and athletic facilieis at the December 19 meeting.