News vs. Repairs – Building a New Middle/High School Might be More Cost Effective

Councilor-at-Large Phil Boncore’s motion that a new middle/high school project be considered among the options by the town’s consultants for a potential renovation project at the high school could prove to be historic. With preliminary signs that the renovation of the high school could cost as much at $20 million, it might be time to consider a combined Winthrop middle/high school proposal.

If you’ve been to the high school lately, it clearly is not in the best of health and is in need of major repairs. Our town leaders have to look at the reimbursement for new school construction and determine whether in the long run it would behoove Winthrop to build a new school for students in grades 7-12, rather than patching up a building that is approaching 50 years old.

All options must be evaluated and one idea might be to build a new hockey rink inside the school (and please don’t laugh, Methuen High has a rink inside its school). We understand the town of Manchester was able to build a new middle high school in the neighborhood of $49 million.

It will be interesting to see if our town officials decide to pour money into renovating the high school or look toward building a brand new school.