City Council Approves 3 Big School Projects

The Medford High School pool will once again be filled with water and open to students and the public.

– Allison Goldsberry

On Tuesday night the Medford City Council approved three significant school improvement projects.

After falling into disrepair and being closed for five years, the Medford High School pool will someday soon be re-opened. The Council approved a $2.5 million plan to fix the pool. The money includes the expenditure of $450,000 from insurance money and a $1,925,000 loan order to cover the cost of repairs. Speaking before the Medford School Committee last week, Mayor Michael McGlynn said the renovation includes improving the pool’s structural integrity and replacing the large windows that surround the entire area, among other things. The plan doesn’t include the locker rooms or bleachers.

A proposal from the Medford Public Schools Technology Committee to upgrade the school district’s technology was approved by the Mayor and School Committee in early January. The $3.3 million proposal includes new computers for students, teachers, labs, and libraries, new LCD projectors, and a district-wide wireless network. The Council recently formally approved the tech upgrade and Tuesday’s final vote was necessary before the bond could officially become reality.

Finally, the Council also approved an $860,000 plan to create an artificial turf field at Hormel Stadium. Part of the project will be funded by a $500,000 grant from the Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs thanks to a program for improving open space and recreational facilities in the state.

All three of the projects previously received the support of the School Committee before going to the Council for approval. The projects are part of a larger capital improvement plan proposed by Mayor McGlynn during his inauguration in January.