First published in the Wakefield Daily Item, August 22, 2023. Driving through the gate to the Voke parking lot on our way to walk the dogs in Breakheart Reservation, my wife and I saw the signs of construction everywhere – heavy equipment, fencing, supplies, an actual sign with stern, red-and-white lettering just beyond the gate, at the head of a dirt road entering the Northeast Metro Tech Forest, with a warning: “DO NOT ENTER, CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC ONLY.”
Excellent article - thanks for your efforts to help understand what the Town may lose. The Town Council has not shown any leadership on such a critical issue. Sincere THANKS to the Wakefield Environmental Sustainability and Wakefield Conservation Committee for the super job trying to protect this beautiful forest!!
If the horror on the hilltop is built, history will not be kind to the Town leaders who let this happen. Not only are we destroying the only Forest Core habitat in the entire Town, but we will wind up with a dangerous and functional compromised school that has no sidewalk from Hemlock, no bike lanes, a 1,100' elevated north facing ramp that will ensure that the school will not be inclusive for all. The school is located at 163.5' elevation while all athletic fields are located over 75' below. Just because the school states they are ADA Compliant doesn't mean that the school will not present daily risk and hardships trying climb an elevated ramp/stairs for over 1/5 th of a mile (1,100') to travel between upper and lower campus. At the end of the 1,100' ELEVATED ramp they will enter the basement of 5 story building with two elevators for 1,600 students. The arrogance of the Vocational School Building Committee to start construction without all permits is a reckless way to treat taxpayers. I pray daily that MA DEP does the right thing and deny the school a permit for the Hilltop site.
To know this forest and the acres of developed land available for a new school makes me think that the stupidest people in any town can decide what gets to live and what dies.
50 years of kids moving up and down 1100 ft of ramps and stairs? No one was thinking of the kids.
What were they thinking about? More money? A hockey rink? Glory?
Thank you, Jeff. People just want to see some common sense applied. The lack of courage from the Town to speak up for that is disheartening. It’s sad that the Town (and the school administration) don’t recognize the gem the school has right there on campus. It’s literally something money can’t buy, but there’s no sense of pride
It’s interesting that the project has never offered any substantial reason for their choice. One would hope that by now they would be aware of all the reasons NOT to build on the hilltop forest. No one on the Building Committee or town leaders seem to care about the brutal destruction of a forest that can never be replaced, fiscal irresponsibility that will negatively impact the poorest communities for decades to come, massive safety issues, polluted waterways. And all of it taking place as we are struggling to find ways to live with drastic changes in climate that can no longer be denied. Now is the time to stand up and be a hero. Support the Conservation Commission. Build the school on the athletic fields that have been vetted by the Building Committee to meet the educational needs of the new school and comply with the Wetlands Protection Act.
Town Administrator Steve Maio and members of the Wakefield Town Council should be ashamed of themselves. Destructive projects such as this are becoming a thing of the past in the midst of the climate crisis. These leaders are setting a terrible example to the students they supposedly serve.
Excellent article - thanks for your efforts to help understand what the Town may lose. The Town Council has not shown any leadership on such a critical issue. Sincere THANKS to the Wakefield Environmental Sustainability and Wakefield Conservation Committee for the super job trying to protect this beautiful forest!!
If the horror on the hilltop is built, history will not be kind to the Town leaders who let this happen. Not only are we destroying the only Forest Core habitat in the entire Town, but we will wind up with a dangerous and functional compromised school that has no sidewalk from Hemlock, no bike lanes, a 1,100' elevated north facing ramp that will ensure that the school will not be inclusive for all. The school is located at 163.5' elevation while all athletic fields are located over 75' below. Just because the school states they are ADA Compliant doesn't mean that the school will not present daily risk and hardships trying climb an elevated ramp/stairs for over 1/5 th of a mile (1,100') to travel between upper and lower campus. At the end of the 1,100' ELEVATED ramp they will enter the basement of 5 story building with two elevators for 1,600 students. The arrogance of the Vocational School Building Committee to start construction without all permits is a reckless way to treat taxpayers. I pray daily that MA DEP does the right thing and deny the school a permit for the Hilltop site.
Thanks again for your fair and balanced article!!
To know this forest and the acres of developed land available for a new school makes me think that the stupidest people in any town can decide what gets to live and what dies.
50 years of kids moving up and down 1100 ft of ramps and stairs? No one was thinking of the kids.
What were they thinking about? More money? A hockey rink? Glory?
Their decision is shocking really. Shameful.
Thank you, Jeff. People just want to see some common sense applied. The lack of courage from the Town to speak up for that is disheartening. It’s sad that the Town (and the school administration) don’t recognize the gem the school has right there on campus. It’s literally something money can’t buy, but there’s no sense of pride
It’s interesting that the project has never offered any substantial reason for their choice. One would hope that by now they would be aware of all the reasons NOT to build on the hilltop forest. No one on the Building Committee or town leaders seem to care about the brutal destruction of a forest that can never be replaced, fiscal irresponsibility that will negatively impact the poorest communities for decades to come, massive safety issues, polluted waterways. And all of it taking place as we are struggling to find ways to live with drastic changes in climate that can no longer be denied. Now is the time to stand up and be a hero. Support the Conservation Commission. Build the school on the athletic fields that have been vetted by the Building Committee to meet the educational needs of the new school and comply with the Wetlands Protection Act.
Town Administrator Steve Maio and members of the Wakefield Town Council should be ashamed of themselves. Destructive projects such as this are becoming a thing of the past in the midst of the climate crisis. These leaders are setting a terrible example to the students they supposedly serve.