Braintree HS and Petersen Pool Could Share Parking

BRAINTREE, MA - A proposal for Braintree High School and Petersen Pool to share a parking lot is on the table, Mayor Joseph Sullivan said.

Sullivan told the Braintree School Committee Monday that he doesn't expect for there to be a parking issue for the proposed building on the Braintree High School campus.

“If both the high school and Petersen Pool have large events at the same time, the high school will get parking priority," Sullivan said.

On the weekdays, the proposed swimming pool and hockey rinks do not appear to conflict with the school days. The busy period for the facility is expected to be on the weekends, early weekday mornings and evenings, with less activity during the school day, according to Scott Lacy, an attorney for the developer.

Superintendent Frank Hackett said the school’s student lot is usually half-full during classes.

“We never broke 220 (cars) during the day,” Hackett said.

Traffic has been one of the main concerns for the project. Committee member Tom Devin suggested opening up the road from the high school to Franklin Street to avoid a bottleneck effect on Town and Granite Streets.

The Petersen Pool proposal calls for a new facility that includes two hockey rinks, a swimming pool, and an indoor turf. Construction is likely to take 12-18 months with a target opening of Fall 2017.

The School Committee will take up the issue again at their June 13 meeting, with the Planning Board continuing their public hearing on Petersen Pool the next day.