School Construction Could Hamper Camp Bedminster Plans

If the school district and township cannot come to an agreement on construction and rooms to use, the Bedminster Recreation Department may be forced to reimburse all parents who have signed their children up for Camp Bedminster this summer.

Because of construction in the gym and other work being done in the main corridor of the Bedminster Township School this summer, certain areas will not be accessible for Camp Bedminster as they have been every year.

But Recreation Supervisor Robin Ray said she was not informed of this possibility before registration for camp began in early April.

“We’re very concerned hearing the school may not be available for Camp Bedminster this summer,” said Bedminster township Committeewoman Staci Santucci at Thursday’s board of education meeting. “We have a long history of making it a reality for students. We need to work together to make this a reality.”

Ray said she was just told last week that she would not have access to the gymnasium, which is where all the sports camps take place.

“I run the seven-week program that has been going on for 34 years, and we have always had a great relationship, able to work out projects during the summer hours,” she said. “It is very good for the students in Bedminster.”

Board of education president Louis Casella said they have been working with vendors on plans for the gym that needs to be redone early, especially after it was done too late two years ago and fumes bothered students once school began.

Light replacements are expected to begin June 24, Casella said, and that is anticipated to take about one week—no one is allowed in the gym while that work is being done.

That, Casella said, leads into a shortened week for the July 4 holiday, followed by another week to have the bleachers removed and replaced, followed by starting the gym floor.

The carpet in the music room and other locations will also be replaced during this time, Casella said, but that should not hinder any of the programs.

The gym floor, Casella said, will take several weeks with sanding, individual coats, painting and more.

“With the calculations we did, we’re right up against the first week of August,” he said. “We are scheduled to finish totally the week before school starts.”

Casella said they are trying to finish a few weeks before school to ensure that students are not dealing with the smells and fumes from the work in the gym.

“We didn’t get to have the gym floor done last year,” he said. “The year before, we did it late, and there were complaints about the smell, even once school started.”

Ray asked if there is a way the township and district could work together to coordinate the scheduling. She offered the help of the Department of Public Works, which has said it will remove, and dispose of, the bleachers and assist with removing furniture for re-carpeting.

“If there’s any other projects you have that you need help with, the town is receptive,” she said. “I need seven weeks, from the Monday after school is out to Aug. 9. I understand you have pressures, concerns and constraints.”

Ray said she is hoping to at least get the first five weeks, which is crucial for the programming.

“I have reached out to other schools, and I will have to chop things up,” she said. “Parents will have to drive all which way and costs will increase because of rental costs.”

But Ray said she has been following the same procedure for 11 years to request the space for camp, and she submitted that request the first week of March. Then they began registration with no information about the issues with the construction.

“Now we are in a pickle because we will have to cancel things, and we have to find a new place for Camp Bedminster,” she said. “We have 156 kids registered already.”

“The only thing we got was a message that we may not be able to use the school because of budget, but it was never about the gym,” she added.

She said they have already thought of different variables, including other rooms, alternate locations and more.

“We are already using three sections of the cafeteria in its entirety,” she said.

Casella said they would arrange a meeting so the district and recreation department could discuss options and possibilities or make arrangements for the summer.