Concerns about the proposed elementary school

Concerns about the proposed elementary school

 1) Templeton is not a city. The 3-acre lot is too small. The three-story school would cover the lot, including the Templeton Center playing field, and dwarf surrounding buildings. In a rural community, building a $40-$50 million dollar school on a tiny lot makes no sense. The state admitted the lot was too small but approved it anyway.


2) The streets around Templeton Elementary School are already congested during school hours. The proposed school would triple the congestion from pick-up, drop-off and increased bus activity.

3) The congestion will significantly increase hazards faced by police, fire and rescue vehicles responding to emergencies.

 4) The reconfiguration of the traffic pattern one-way south on Wellington Road and north on South Road will funnel significantly more traffic into an already hazardous intersection and cause traffic flow problems throughout Templeton Common.

5) On South Road especially, but also on Wellington Road, the large school would pose a significant hazard to residents trying to pull out of their driveways, and make it almost impossible for customers to stop at, or pull out of parking at the Templeton Country Store and other businesses.


6) The school is being built with no playing field. It eliminates a field regularly used for gym, recess and field days. It is also used by soccer and softball teams and for pick-up games by children and adults in town. The field is also a crucial component - providing parking for the Templeton Arts and Crafts fair- which raises thousands of scholarship dollars every year for local students.



7) The project would require the tearing up of a playground built by volunteers in honor of former teacher and town leader Gladys Salame. It wastes the effort and money already spent to build it, and moving, may be difficult or impossible.


8) The building is large 21st century structure plunked into a 19th century town common, degrading an adjacent historic district that the town worked hard to achieve.


9)   The plan lacks adequate parking for staff and school events. By several counts at present there are between 26 and 30 cars parked at the school during school hours. Tripling the size of the school would likely require parking for 75-90 staff.