NIAGARA FALLS The city School Board wants taxpayers to borrow up to $66.7 million to build a new recreational and athletic field house on the Niagara Falls High School campus, resurface seven athletic playing fields with synthetic turf, provide renovations and additions to 11 school buildings and possibly make minor improvements to four other buildings.
The money, to be borrowed through the sale of bonds, is to be paid back over a period of 30 years.
The nine-member board voted 8-0 on Thursday night to submit the borrowing proposal to the public in a referendum on Sept. 25. Board member Johnny DeStino was absent.
The proposed bond issue is a scaled-down version of a $130 million proposal that was turned down by voters in a referendum in February 2011. That proposal also would have included renovations or additions to all 11 school buildings, and improvements to the athletic fields and playgrounds.
Stung by the defeat of that bond issue, members of the School Board and administrators in the School District began work on a new proposal. Initial talks suggested that borrowing about $55 million might be proposed, and that the state treasury might contribute toward paying the cost.
The new proposal to be submitted to the voters would provide for renovations and additions to 11 school buildings and potential minor improvements to the Administration Building, Community Education Center and outbuildings at Harry F. Abate Elementary School and LaSalle Preparatory School.
Related site improvements to accommodate each building are included.
Other site improvements would include upgraded playing fields (seven fields with synthetic turf surfaces) and playgrounds.
The following schools would have planned additions:
79th Street Elementary at 551 79th St., 19,511 square feet.
Cataract Elementary, 6431 Girard Ave., 2,048 square feet.
Hyde Park Elementary, 1620 Hyde Park Blvd., 17,974 square feet.
Kalfas Elementary, 1800 Beech Ave., 14,256 square feet.
G.J. Mann Elementary, 1330 95th St., 9,317 square feet.
Maple Elementary, 952 Maple Ave., 16,870 square feet.
Proposed outbuilding at the School Districts Administration Building, 630 66th St., 16,000 square feet.
Recreational facilities would include a recreational/athletic field house, 10,000 to 15,000 square feet in the vicinity of the existing athletic fields; four new soccer fields; and resurfaced eight-lane track with new infield.
The turf at Sal Maglie, Nicoletti Football and LaSalle Preparatory fields all would be replaced with synthetic surfaces.
The $66.7 million bond resolution also would finance related costs for equipment, furnishings, machinery, apparatus, site improvements and incidental costs. The public will vote on the proposal at a special referendum from noon to 9 p.m. Sept. 25 at 36 election districts in regular polling places throughout the city.
email: rbaldwin@buffnews.com
on August 30, 2012 - 11:30 AM
