NORTH SMITHFIELD – Town Administrator Scott Gibbs says the town has selected its preferred firm to design and complete improvements to the former Halliwell Memorial School site.
Gibbs, speaking at a September Town Council meeting, told councilors that they went out for a request for qualifications for Halliwell relating to a $1 million passive recreation grant for the work. They reviewed proposals and have selected a firm, but now must open up their cost proposal and begin negotiations, he said then.
If they can’t reach an agreement, said Gibbs, they’ll move to the next firm. After an agreement is reached, they’ll reach out to Parks and Recreation and have the firm come in and do a presentation on preliminary plans, he said.
Gibbs indicated that he expects design work to be completed by sometime early next summer, with a contract signed during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year.
Councilor Rebecca DeCristofaro asked if the money will fund both design and improvements, and Gibbs said yes. He said officials will “segment out” various elements of the project based on available money and what can get done. Parks and Recreation representatives may have their own items to add, he said.
Gibbs said they may not be able to do everything desired on the Halliwell grounds, and may hypothetically be limited to paving the entrance road, bringing a sidewalk down from Victory Highway, repaving the parking lot, and reclaiming some of the area. He said they’ll have to see where the budget comes in, as they have to live within that budget.
DeCristofaro asked that they also engage with those from the Halliwell Committee on the Halliwell site and on improvements at Pacheco Park.
The town has been discussing what to do with the Halliwell Elementary School site for many years since its closure. There has long been a debate about whether to build a multigenerational center there, at Scouters Hall, or not at all.
Gibbs also offered updates on upgrades to Pacheco Park and Scouters Hall at the Sept. 21 meeting.
He said they plan to go through a similar public engagement process on Pacheco Park, which is a much larger project with a lot of elements and many different funding levels. There’s a play structure, walking path, repaving of parking areas, upgrades to stormwater management systems, and plans to upgrade the entrance onto Main Street with curbing, signage, landscaping, lighting, and other aspects, he said. What they can afford there will depend on two other federal grants, he stated, adding that all together the work will probably cost in the range of $2.6 million, not including any improvements to Scouters Hall.
Gibbs pledged that they’ll come back before the council for a review before they engage consultants with a contract. A public process is required during the design stage, he said.
The administrator said they’re working on a request for proposals for Scouters Hall, but it was probably going to be another three weeks from Sept. 21 before that RFP was released. He said they’re looking to do that work a bit differently, not wanting to get over their skis by hiring an architect to do a design only to find out it’s too expensive.
By going with a construction management design process, he said, a firm would work with officials knowing what the budget is and designing for that budget. There will likely be a couple of expansion elements if there’s enough money available, he said, but the priority is the core structure to upgrade it both for scouts and senior citizens.
Gibbs said they want to get started and begin drawing money down from grants.
Councilor David Punchak sought and received clarification that there is a request for proposals out for Pacheco Park, but not for Scouters Hall. He said there’s a lot of misinformation out there on the project, and to listen to some people explain it, “we’re getting the hanging gardens of Babylon” for the $1 million.
Gibbs said the $1 million will undoubtedly be spent quickly when it comes to grading four acres of land. He said they’re going to stay within the budge and pick priorities consistent with money being available.
Included in the budget is a public garden, said Gibbs, but they’ll have to move the existing community garden because of wetlands on the property.
DeCristofaro said there’s $1 million available now, but other possibilities could be funded at Halliwell later. Absolutely, said Gibbs, as they can always go back for more grant money later to fund certain elements in the same type of approach as at Pacheco.
Asked about the name “Slatersville Commons” seen on paperwork for Pacheco Park and Scouters, he said that was the name he went with because he had to put something, and the town could choose another name. DeCristofaro said she doesn’t hate the name Slatersville Commons.
