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I am writing this letter in hopes to educate readers about the DISASTOROUS Voc proposed HILLTOP site before it is too late. Time is running out to speak up! I firmly believe the proposed HILLTOP site for new Voc school will be an expensive mistake that will result in dangerous, non-inclusive, sub-par school campus that will be seriously regretted from opening day.
- DAILY ACCESS ISSUES, STRUGGLES and INJURIES
With no sidewalk up main front access driveway the lower campus and upper campus people will get hurt regularly when they decide to walk up new driveway instead of taking the 1,100’ (over 1/5th of a mile), ELEVATED, NORTH FACING ramp made of composite materials. The elevated ramp/stairs will present serious daily access issues during rain, hail, frost, snow, sleet, thunder, extreme cold and high winds.
- FRACTURED / NON-INCLUSIVE DESIGN CAMPUS
If the Voc does get built on the terrible HILLTOP site, then all playing fields and student parking will be over 1/5th of a mile apart with the ramps and stairs at the 84’ level and main entrance to school is at 163.5’ level. Having a 79.5’ elevation difference between the school main entrance and all athletic fields and student parking will forever detract from the schools potential and cause daily hardship issues for many school users forever. I doubt many other schools have been designed with split campus school over 1/5th of a mile between the school and all athletic fields and student parking.
- TOTAL DEVASTATION of 30 ACRES CORE FOREST
The environmental devastation and pollution to the forested hillside will be prolonged and extreme with massive blasting during school hours for weeks at a time. At least 2,000 mature trees, lots of birds, animals, reptiles and other wildlife will be blown to pieces. The current plan is to blow up and remove the top 34’ of the HILLTOP. Blasting during school hours is planned and will absolutely result in extensive student anxiety and negatively impact the academic environment. The Voc owns 30 acres of land already developed and the new school has less than 4 acre footprint. The Voc states they can’t fit school elsewhere onsite is totally FALSE!!!
- WHY BUILD 600’+ OF DANGEROUS CLIFFS?
The massive and prolonged blasting to reduce the HILLTOP by 34’ will result in over 600’ of new cliffs up to 34’ tall with 70 degree face angle. It will be simply a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt either falling from the new cliffs or trying to scale them. Why create this obviously hazardous situation when much safer and less expensive options exist?
- VOC TOTAL DIS-RESPECT FOR ACCESS and SAFETY CONERNS
I completely disgusted by the response from Supt. DiBarri to the letter written by the Melrose Disability Commission Chair – David Hoff:
The current HILLTOP Voc design will provide undue hardship every day for all users due to very poor campus layout. While the project may technically comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act it fails to pass the commonsense test. The Voc response sounds equally tone deaf to the response I received at the Voc public meeting on August 2022 public meeting when I stated that the HILLTOP school location was dangerous and non-inclusive and the Voc response was “we have talked with our insurance company and have confirmed we can underwrite the project.” My response then was shame on the Voc for such a reckless dis-regard for public safety. NOTE: The Voc also proposed building the $325 million dollar school with NO sidewalk on proposed new 1,000’+ long “driveway” to FARM Street
Why build the new Voc on the sub-par, functionally compromised HILLTOP location at outrageous expense (20% of school budget is for site prep). Shouldn’t safety and inclusive design be the top design priorities. We all want a new Voc, but not a new a Voc with multiple significant inherent serious safety and accessibility issues built in that will destroy the ONLY Forest Core habitat in Wakefield.
The Voc school building committee has not been transparent and has thrown multiple false and insulting statements at anyone who questions the inferior HILLTOP site.
Please speak up now and let town officials and Voc Supt. DiBarri know that the safety and inclusion should be designed in from the start. You can also help build a safer and far more accessible Voc by visiting the following website www.nemtforest.org.
We can build a SAFER school for less money, if we don’t build on the very dangerous and non-inclusive HILLTOP location.
