New pool part of $16M in projects set for vote

The Upper St. Clair school board will vote Tuesday on a number of building projects that could require future tax increases — replacing the high school swimming pool, building a complex at the high school stadium, and completing the athletic field facilities at Boyce Middle School.

The board also will decide whether to remove the pedestrian bridge at the high school and repave the high school parking lot.

The cost of all of the projects totals about $16 million, and all have been recommended for approval by an ad hoc committee.

The recommendation includes that the district issue two bonds: $10 million in December and $6 million in December 2018.

The potential effect on property taxpayers would be spread over two years with a 0.15-mill increase in 2018-19 and a 0.16-mill increase in 2019-20. However, anticipated additional revenue from new commercial and residential developments could mitigate the increases.

A new swimming pool would cost $6 million. It would replace the existing five-lane pool, built in 1961, with an eight-lane pool. A separate diving well/special use pool is being considered at a cost of $2 million.

A multi-use complex at the high school stadium would cost $3.3 million for space for district and community use, plus $3.5 million for district administrative office space. The project would include bleacher repair and renovation and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Completion of the Boyce Middle School athletic field facilities would cost $503,000, and the bridge removal and repaving would cost $515,500.

Additional annual costs of the projects would be $83,000 in utilities and personnel.

If approved, plans call for construction to start in spring 2018 and be completed in August 2019.

In his overview of the proposal, Dave McLean of McLean

Architects said the district’s current administrative site in the township building requires renovations and reconfiguration costs in excess of $1 million. The district leases the 14,000-square-feet on a year-to-year basis from the township. For 2016-17, the cost is $62,131 plus about $20,000 as the district’s share of the utilities.

The current location of the swimming pool at the rear of the high school hampers its public access, he said. The proposed new site is by the athletic entrance, increasing accessibility.

Board member Phillip Elias called a new pool a “referendum on whether we will support the [swimming] program.”

At a Nov. 29 community forum on the proposed projects, swimmers and their parents expressed their support of a new pool, saying it would eliminate the poor air quality that causes breathing problems in the current pool; create opportunities to add student activities, such as a water polo team; allow more swimmers to practice at one time; and provide a potential staging area for swim meets.

The Boyce field renovations completed in 2011 included infrastructure provisions for a small building to be added. The proposal is to add restrooms, a concession area and an announcing booth.

“Since 2000, all six of our district schools have been completely renovated,” Superintendent Patrick O’Toole said.

“The proposed projects bring all of our districtowned facilities completely up-to-date while eliminating the need to continue to rent office space,” he said.

Margaret Smykla, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.