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To the editor of The Advocate:

On Saturday, April 3, the Williamstown Youth Center facilitated a car wash to raise money for its “Together We Can” campaign to build a new youth center on the grounds of the Williamstown Elementary School.

The youth center would like to thank Michael’s Restaurant and Cumberland Farms on Main Street for the use of their facilities, Jim Whittum and M. Ellen Erickson for providing lunch and Henry Smith and Lisa Jennings for coordinating the participation of students from Buxton and Mount Greylock Regional High schools, respectively. Also, a huge thank you to Sue Wells for coordinating the participation of the students from Pine Cobble School and for helping to coordinate the entire event.

Of course, the fundraiser could not have taken place without the enthusiastic participation of the students from the three schools: Olivia Ellard, Talia Goldwasser, Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee, Evan Sanders, Tara Shastri, Sam Swoap, Hannah Witter, Elaine Iwanicki, Hannah Merrill, Slater Payne, Annika Wells, Emma Whittum, Sean Finnegan, David Hamilton, Caile Holland, Sid Smith, Rachel Swoap, Giselle Lora, Angelica Hilliman and Hazaiah Tompkins.

Thank you for supporting the “Together We Can” campaign.

David Rempell

Williamstown

04:36PM / Friday, May 20, 2011 – IBerkshires.com

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williamstown Youth Center announced that its “Together We Can” capital campaign to build a new center on the grounds of the Williamstown Elementary School has raised $3.8 million in cash and pledges. Officials thank everyone for their support.

Center staff and members plan to march in the Memorial Day Parade with a new banner that proclaims, “TOGETHER WE DID.”  All children and community members are invited to join in the march to celebrate the success of this community initiative.

David Rempell, executive director, said the intent is to begin construction in October of this year and complete the new facility by summer 2012. Having the Youth Center immediately behind the Williamstown Elementary School will present incredible opportunities for our children and families, he said, and will make Williamstown an even more desirable place to live.

For those would still like to donate or make a pledge, and wish to be included on the “wall of honor” with more than 1,000 other contributors, send a contribution to the Williamstown Youth Center, 270 Cole Avenue, Williamstown, MA 01267, by Memorial Day, May 30, 2011.

By Andy McKeever iBerkshires Staff Friday, May 20, 2011

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Building a new Youth Center hit its first stumbling block Thursday when the Zoning Board of Appeals continued the special permit hearing for another month.

The hearing was suspended because the board had concerns over water drainage, construction worker parking and the hours of construction.

The center’s engineering firm will have to readdress those issues. Project engineer Charlie LaBatt said it would not delay the construction.

The biggest issue was drainage; particularly with a pipe that drains water from the south parking lot to the western part of Chris Winter’s property on Church Street.

Winters said that there were no drainage issues before the new school was built, but that the land around the pipes have been eroding since.

“I think [the plan] can be better,” Winters said.

A drainage pipe on the east of his land is set to be repaired by the town but the west still poses a problem.

LaBatt, an engineer with Guntlow Associates who is planning the project, said while the plans increase the volume,  other improvements will make the drainage flow neutral. Winter’s concern was addressed somewhat by LaBatt redesigning some drainage to School Street after last week’s Planning Board meeting.

“I’m trying to make it neutral in all ways,” LaBatt said.

The drainage was supposed to remain the same when the new school was built but improving the infrastructure made the system more efficient, LaBatt said.

The board felt the problem should be addressed but also said it was unfair to make the youth center pay for the school’s problems. A fair agreement is hoped to be reached at the next meeting.

“I think we need to do something to address Mr. Winter’s concerns,” Chairman Andrew Hoar said.

Additionally, the board debated if it actually had the authority to demand the upgrades.

While the youth center is a new construction, the board is actually amending the special permit for the school. The center needs to amend the special permit issued to the elementary school in regards to impervious surfaces. Because of the zoning district, only 15 percent of the total land can be impervious without a special permit. Currently 27 percent of the land is impervious and that percentage will increase with the Youth Center.

LaBatt said he could likely find a way to eliminate additional volume to that drain, but it would increase the volumes to other drains. Fixing the entire problem will come at added expenses to the Youth Center.

The board sent the engineers back to the drawing board to readdress the drainage as best as the firm could, and to create a runoff plan for the construction period – which is mandated in the new bylaws.

The board also wanted more specifics about parking for the construction workers. The workers will not be using the parking lots but instead parking in the fields by the construction site, LaBatt said. If there is not sufficient room, a shuttle will be used to bring the workers to the site.

The board requested more exact figures on the number of workers and vehicles and if a shuttle system is needed.

The board also recommended specific hours for the construction work. According to LaBatt the construction is expected to take six months after an October groundbreaking. The board voiced concerns about the safety of the students and noise.

LaBatt said he expected workers to be on the property from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., but the board wanted specific, set hours, suggesting 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.

North Adams Transcript
By Meghan Foley
Saturday April 23, 2011

WILLIAMSTOWN — The Williamstown Youth Center has submitted its construction plans to the town for a new facility on the grounds of the elementary school.

The plans, which were submitted on Thursday to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a development plan review and modification of a special permit, define the size of the building, its distance from School Street and the relocation of some playground equipment and athletic fields.

“The Williamstown Youth Center proposes an approximately 12,300 square feet single story building,” the development plan review stated. “The building is situated, offset from School Street by approximately 120 feet.”

In addition, the building will be oriented perpendicular to School Street, and immediately situated to the east of the sidewalk along the school’s “drop off” lane, the review stated.

In order to do this work, the Youth Center and the town — which owns the land — are requesting the special permit issued to construct the elementary school in 2000 be amended.

The Youth Center is scheduled to appear before the Zoning Board at 7 p.m. on May 19.

Youth Center officials said earlier this month that the private, non-profit organization plans to begin construction of the new building in October, and then move into it during summer 2012.

Aside from the size and location of the building, the facility will use electrical heat pumps for heating and cooling, and a roof-mounted energy recovery ventilation system.

“Efforts have been made to reduce [electrical] loads as much as possible through daylighting and insulation, and there are provisions to reduce future loads with future roof-mounted photovoltaic electric generating panels,” the development review plan stated.

Lighting on the outside of the building will be minimal and focused at the entrances, porches and along egress routes, according to the review.

The plans show that the school’s swings will have to be relocated, and some of the playing fields will have to be realigned.

The two proposed locations for the swings are behind the new Youth Center, abutting the current slide, playhouse, zipline and rocket apparatuses on the southeast side.

In addition, the baseball field at the corner of School Street and the school’s driveway would be relocated more to the Church Street side of the property.