WOODBRIDGE, CT — The Woodbridge Recreation Commission reviewed plans Sept. 8 for a $118.5 million Beecher Road School project that would include a new elementary school while preserving part of the existing south building for recreational use.
Maria Madonick, the Board of Selectmen's liaison to the Beecher Road School Building Committee, presented the project and discussed how it would affect recreation programs. First Selectman Mica Cardozo also attended the special meeting.
Madonick said the Board of Education identified three broad concerns more than three years ago: aging building infrastructure, insufficient classroom space for the current student population and population projections.
Engineers presented five options during a tri-board meeting in September 2025. According to the minutes, the option identified as D3 was determined to meet educational, safety, security and space needs while being the most cost-effective and causing the least disruption to education.
The project has a total cost of $118.5 million, with an anticipated 54 percent reimbursement from the state, according to the presentation. The plan calls for construction of a new elementary school and "mothballing" part of the current south building rather than demolishing it.
Under the plan, the south building would be separated from the remainder of the existing school and its utilities and mechanical systems would be made independent. The preserved building would contain the pool area, south assembly room, south gym, additional offices and several classrooms for recreational use.
The minutes state that those spaces would not be renovated as part of the project but would remain available for use with functioning utilities and mechanical systems. The commission took no recorded vote on the school project.
The commission unanimously approved two requests for use of town fields.
Amity Travel Soccer received approval to use Pease Road and Center Field on Mondays and Wednesdays from September through November. The commission also approved a request from Shobha Jagadeesh to use Center Field for a community gathering and soccer game on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Commission member Daniel Del Prete asked why a certificate of insurance was not required for the community gathering. Recreation Director John Adamovich and Office Manager Jon DeMayo said the department's past practice has been not to require insurance certificates when groups of residents seek field permits.
Del Prete made the motion to approve both field requests, and Bill DeRosa seconded it. All four commissioners listed as present voted in favor.
The meeting was held at Beecher Road School, 40 Beecher Road and adjourned at 7:13 p.m.
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