Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, June 23, 2023 ~ Letter to the Editor ~ Why You Will Pay for Wakefield’s Hockey Rink lthough the Wakefi eld Conservation Commission has denied the permit to build a new Vocational school on the hilltop forest, the Northeast Metro Tech (NEMT) School A Building Committee continues to spend public funds to pursue this plan. This forest was once part of Breakheart Reservation and many thought it was protected. It is designated as core forest habitat, an ecosystem with pools, streams, endangered species and species of greatest conservation need or concern. It is bordered by Wakefi eld’s article 97 public land. Why does NEMT plan to deTanning Salon anning Salo Come See Why Sizzle Tanning is The Best on the North Shore! stroy a mature forest ecosystem to build a new school, costing over $320 million, when they have 30 acres of already developed land that could better accommodate the new school building, parking and athletic fi elds? Maybe the question is – who benefi ts? This is a tale of two parcels – one too risky and expensive for private developers to bid on, covered in forest and ledge, and another cleared and nearly ready to build. Wakefield has collaborated P9S REDLIGHT Therapy Tanning SIZZLE OFFERS HIGH-END, STATE-OF-THE-ART SUNLESS AND UV TANNING! VERSA SPA PRO Sunless Tanning FULL SERVICE HAIR SALON & ESTHETICS ALSO OFFERED! 302 Lincoln Ave., Saugus Cogliano Plaza * 781-231-1006 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 AM - 8 PM / Sun. 8 AM - 7 PM C Check us out at: www.SalonatSizzle.com Sizzlesaugus Everett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Free Estimates •Fully Licensed •Roofing • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com •Free Estimates •Fully Licensed Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Instagram@sizzlesaugus with NEMT to get a hockey rink and road in the forested hilltop since 2014. RFPs (request for proposals) were requested by the Town Administrator, Stephen Maio, and approved by the Town Selectmen over the years. The developer was to pay Wakefi eld and NEMT fees as the lessors. “The (owners) are interested in developing the site to include two sheets of ice … and a second means of egress onto Farm Street is required”. There were no bids. Why? What could it be except the expense and diffi culty of a project requiring clear cutting, blasting and the possibility of consequences to abutters? In February 2016, a pre-feasibility study for a new school rejected the forested hilltop location as too diffi cult, expensive and with poor access. In August 2016, Mr. Maio received approval from the selectmen to issue a Request for Qualifi cations to “determine if an ice hockey rink would be feasible in the proposed location”. When NEMT was invited to the feasibility stage for a new school the school committee members formed the School Building Committee (SBC). Mr. Maio attended the SBC meeting in Jan 2019 and was a member by May 2019. The SBC hired PMA Consultants as project manager and DRA Associates as architects. The SBC were told that the MSBA (MA School Building Authority) would not reimburse for a hockey rink, aquatic center or other facilities but the future hockey rink continued to be discussed in SBC meetings and shown in presentations. Early preferred options for the school were on the practice fi eld Celebrating 65 Years in Business! S behind the school (a site called “C.1”) and the current football fi eld (“C.2”). By 2020, presentations to the SBC show the school on the site option called C.3. That plan puts the school on the forested hilltop and the rink on the current football fi eld. With this plan the sites for the rink (in the forest) and the school (on current campus) were fl ipped. The highest site cost and the new road cost now belong to the public. The C.3 plan requires clearing acres of trees and blasting down 30-35 feet of ledge for a building platform that will result in a 650 ft cliff along one side of the school. The new road requires blasting by Farm St for a road that will rise to 15-20 ft. The road Summer is Here! Sizzle Voted #1 Tanning Salon!
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