Lowell High Bill On Baker's Desk

BOSTON, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker will be the next to opine on the controversial issue of a new high school in Lowell. Legislation on the issue of where such a project would go has reached his desk.

The House and Senate enacted a bill Friday would allow Lowell to use city-owned fields and parkland extending into Tewksbury for construction of a high school that The Lowell Sun reported will cost an estimated $336 million. Sign up for Tewksbury Patch and like us on Facebook for more local news and alerts

The city council voted, 5-4, in June to select the new location. The school committee voted, 5-1, to keep the high school downtown, according to the Sun.

According to an aide to Lowell Sen. Eileen Donoghue, the city would need local approval and a sign-off from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to proceed with the project.

The bill on Baker's desk can be read here. It specifies that if the land is not used for school construction within five years of the legislation taking effect, it will revert to city parks officials for use as open space or recreation. The deal would also require the city to create some new recreational spaces.

Concord Democrat Rep. Cory Atkins cast the lone vote against the bill. Atkins represents Acton, Concord, and parts of Chelmsford and Carlisle, but her former husband, Chester Atkins, used to represent Lowell. She said she heard from a number of people from that city who asked her to vote against it.

Andy Metzger of the State House News Service contributed to this report