What I Wish I Hurd

When I read about the sale of the Hurd School in the Wakefield Daily Item Wednesday, I wished that I read through a healthy and rounded discussion of various options and creative ideas instead of the same old broken-record of liquidation for short cash. Paved streets look nice, but that isn’t why people move to a town or want to open a business here.

We should dig a little deeper and talk about what would be a better investment that may be less easily measurable than cash and miles paved, but that makes a town thrive and its residents want to live here forever. Is another set of condos really the only thing we can come up with? If it is, I don’t believe it, but I will get over it as long as I feel like there has at least been a healthy discussion about the various options and looking as far into the future needs of the town as possible first.

Here are some considerations that I wish I heard.

Flex-space: There has been mention of several different buildings under consideration for rehab or rebuilding. Let’s have a discussion about where the people/children in those buildings will go while construction is under way. Walton School, Greenwood School and the High School have all been talked about recently. Where will the children go while the renovations take place or in case they go longer than expected? The Hurd School is available. Where will the workers at the DPW and the Public Safety Buildings go during renovations? Would it also make sense to have another school in that area if Dolbeare School is starting to reach its limits? What about Odyssey Day School or another charter?

Hockey, Youth or The Arts: What about the hockey arena? Would it fit there? What about the Boys & Girls Club or the Recreation Department? Did anybody even ask them? What about an indoor farmers market and/or more space for the town’s arts initiatives like a combo of studios and affordable housing for artists to help feed and complement the downtown Albion Cultural Exchange? What happened to talk about a community garden?

Switch-a-roo: Speaking of the DPW and the Public Safety Buildings, what if we decided to decentralize those buildings so that it would free up some space in the downtown? The DPW spot would make a great space for a new Boys & Girls Club and Recreation Department facility for our young people, while the Public Safety Building could free up some much-needed parking downtown. Both of these ideas aren’t a big fat check, but they do mean money in the long run through a thriving downtown business sector as well as less money spent on the negative outcomes that accompany young people with too much time on their hands. Being proactive is a much cheaper and satisfying plan than treating drug and alcohol addiction and all that comes along with reviving overdoses, fighting crime, family stress, etc.

If the DPW being located at the Hurd School doesn’t work for any reason, how about the Pre-school program moves to the Hurd and the DPW gets tucked away where the Doyle is now.

Anyway, this town needs another condo building like it needs another hole in the road. It is definitely worth a little more creative discussion before we just rubber stamp “condos” across it.