School Building Update Memo — File 22-1462

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS KATJANA BALLANTYNE MAYOR CITY HALL ● 93 HIGHLAND AVENUE ● SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02143 [phone removed], EXT. 2100 ● TTY: [phone removed]● FAX: (617) 625- 3434 ● E-MAIL: mayor@somervillema.gov www.somervillema.gov ● FB.com/SomervilleCity ● Twitter @SomervilleCity August 23, 2022 Mayor Katjana Ballantyne City Hall 93 Highland Ave. Somerville, MA 02143 Somerville School Building Maintenance Update, Summer 2022 Memorandum from Infrastructure and Asset Management (IAM), Public Space and Urban Forestry (PSUF) and Department of Public Works (DPW) providing the City Council with updates on work done to Somerville Public School buildings over Summer, 2022. Schoolyard Updates WSNS Schoolyard: The Construction Invitation to Bid (IFB) for the West Somerville Neighborhood School schoolyard is currently out to bid. A pre-bid meeting with vendors was held on 8/18/22 and bids are due the first week of September. It is expected that construction will start in the fall of 2022 and be complete in the fall of 2023. Because lead times for play equipment and materials are presently very long, city staff will work with the contractors to develop a construction phasing plan to preserve an outdoor recreation space for WSNS students. Healey Schoolyard: The Healey Schoolyard renovation is a large, transformative project which began with the renovation of the tot-lot in spring of 2021, followed by construction of the schoolyard which began in June 2021. It is projected to be completed in the late fall of 2022, with punch-list work continuing into the spring of 2023. The scope of work includes a new schoolyard with play equipment and learning spaces, basketball courts, trees and plantings, a large synthetic turf field, and an accessible path connecting the schoolyard to the Mystic Housing community below. Brown Schoolyard: Despite the best efforts of city staff, the goal of construction beginning in the Summer 2022 when school let out was not possible. While work was ready to begin in Fall 2022, school staff expressed serious concerns about running the school without outdoor space due to the importance of the schoolyard for gym and lunch and requested the project to be delayed until summer 2023 as soon as classes are dismissed for the summer. City staff are now scheduling the work to take place at that time. The renovation of the Brown schoolyard includes a new asphalt surface, storm drains, basketball courts, surface graphics, and a new separated sewer along a portion of Josephine Street adjacent to the school. This will aid with drainage in the future. Ideas for the schoolyard safety improvements were reviewed with the Brown School community in a Community Meeting on March 22, 2022.

2 Kennedy School Chillers Update The Kennedy School chillers experienced a complete failure and repairing them would have required new parts that were not available. As a result, temporary chillers have been deployed for use during the warm weather. The expectation is that the temporary chillers will be in use until Oct. 15, 2022. The temporary chillers are on a trailer taking up six parking spots. The school is aware of the need for a parking plan and is working to address that. During the week, the regular hours for the chillers are during the school day from 7am-7pm. If there are weekend programs, the chillers will run during the same timeframe unless an evening program must run past 7pm. IAM is using an on-call consultant to complete a feasibility study for the full replacement of the failed cooling equipment. The current chillers are 25-year-old pieces of equipment and replacing them presents an opportunity to consider and incorporate sustainability and maintainability. Once the feasibility study is complete, we will select the technology and work with the consultant to prepare bid documents. We expect the cooling system up and running prior to next cooling season. However, if the new chiller is not installed in time for the 2023 heat season, the temporary chillers will be redeployed. Winter Hill Community School Updates Winter Hill Walkway: DPW replaced approximately 18 yards of the walkway at the main entrance of WHCS to address multiple trip hazards. The concrete was not able to be repaired, therefore the area was broken up, removed, and replaced. Winter Hill Room Modifications: Three rooms were modified and are now ready for activity. The three rooms (formerly the storage room, PTA, and locker room) have been prepared for new uses and each room was gutted, painted, and had the floors stripped and either waxed or carpeted.