By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 December 2023 at 9:14 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville community decorated 85 Christmas trees at Veterans Park this holiday season. The lights were turned on for the first time this evening, when Santa flipped the switch at the “North Pole” at the park.
The trees are decorated by families as memorials, and also by businesses and organizations in the community.
The trees will stay up until about New Year’s Day.
Santa arrives by a horse-drawn wagon down Main Street at about 5 p.m.
A crowd gathers to see Santa and the lights get turned on the trees.
People walk down the paths to see all the trees in what has been a Lyndonville tradition since 2013.
The tree in front is decorated by the Woodward family.
After flipping the switch to light up the trees, Santa went to the Village Hall to meet with kids. Lily Hamilton, 10, of Lyndonville was among the kids eager to share a wish list with Santa.
Some of the trees are reflected in Johnson Creek.
The Lyndonville school chorus sang several Christmas carols before the trees were lighted up.
Provided photos: The Lyndonville school district has a much-improved fitness center that includes more exercise equipment, including these stationary bikes.
Press Release, Lyndonville Central School
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville school district has set Monday for the grand reopening of the fitness center located at 25 Housel Ave.
State-of-the-art new equipment has been purchased and installed, including: stationary bikes, treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical machines, glide trainers, squat racks with TRX cable crossover systems, core bags, kettlebells, free weights, Olympic bars, Plyo Boxes, a dual pulley machine, rowing machine, as well as two additional squat racks. Some of the existing equipment still has good life left in it and has been incorporated into the room plan as well.
Funding for our fitness center was made possible through state grants which promote social-emotional well-being and physical fitness. There was no impact to our taxpayers.
The district is pleased to offer such an outstanding fitness center to the Lyndonville community. From Dec. 4 through May 2024, the fitness center is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. on days that school is in session. The center is available for use by residents of the Lyndonville Central School District, age 18 and older, free of charge. Community members should use the Tech Entrance to access the Fitness Center.
Middle and high school students who live in the district may use the facility in the evenings with adult supervision. The fitness center is available for use by our students during the school day and for student-athletes after school.
We invite and encourage community members to come out and take advantage of LCSD’s “new” fitness center hours.
There are many new free weights for residents to build stronger bodies.
Rendering by Wendel: The project includes replacing the district’s track with a new one with synthetic lanes. Lyndonville hasn’t been able to host a home track meet in at least a decade because of the current cinder track is deemed subpar by the Genesee Region League. A grass soccer field with improved drainage would be part of the track site, but there won’t be a new concession stand.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2023 at 12:41 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The school district is presenting a $19,505,384 capital project to voters on Dec. 14, a plan that will address several needs for the school campus without raising new taxes, said Sharon Smith, the district superintendent.
“There is nothing shiny about what we’re doing,” Smith said today. “We’re taking care of the house. We’re fixing our roofs, the heating systems, the bathrooms. We’re being good stewards of our school home.”
Voting will be from noon to 8:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Stroyan Auditorium at 25 Housel Ave.
The project includes:
A new synthetic track with a natural grass regulation soccer field in the middle and better drainage added for the site. This enables the school to host home track meets for the first time in more than a decade, and the track can be used by the community.
Entrances for both school buildings renovated to improve security and safety.
Demolition of the wing known as the “metal building” with replacement on the same footprint of four new classrooms. School officials say the metal building has outlived its expiration date, and it is not cost-effective to renovate.
Replacement of the roof in the areas that were not part of the emergency roof projects.
Heating and cooling (HVAC) improvements
Lyndonville has about $4.3 million in capital reserve funds for the local share of the project. State aid will cover the rest.
The district worked with Wendel, an engineering and architectural firm, to finalize the project. An initial list of facility upgrades and site improvements was over $50 million. Smith said the goal was to pick priority items without increasing taxes.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 November 2023 at 7:23 am
MEDINA – The Medina VFW Post is displaying a wall poster made by the kindergarten class at Lyndonville. Pictured include Dave Berry, left, junior vice president of the Lincoln VFW Post, and Allan Kropf, a Korean War-era veteran.
These veterans are pictured at the VFW Post in medina with cards made by the eighth grade History Club at Medina. Pictured with the cards includes from left, Bob Coon, Mark Traxler, Allan Kropf, Rick Forder, Mike Harmer, Michael Owczarczak, Post Commander Pat Little, Greg Smith, Dan Anderson and Bill Beach.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Lyndonville community checks out the array of 98 Christmas trees that were decorated by families, business and local organizations and lighted up for the first time on Dec. 3, 2022.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2023 at 5:45 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville community will decorate 85 trees at Veterans Park for the annual Christmas in Lyndonville celebration.
The trees are decorated by many families as memorials, or by businesses and organizations to be part of the display which is lighted up through New Year’s Day.
“It’s a lot of people taking pride in representing their loved ones who have passed, or their organizations and their businesses,” said Teri Woodworth, the village clerk and one of the coordinators of the event.
Lyndonville has been decorating the trees since 2013 when there were 26 the first year. The trees cost $40 and are then decorated by families, businesses or organizations for the big unveil at 5 p.m. on Dec. 2.
The trees are part of a day-long celebration at Lyndonville, which continues to grow each year. Thos year’s schedule adds Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, cookie decorating at Webber’s Kitchen, and a Frosty Toss game led by Christine Heideman Insurance Broker.
The event is sponsored by the Village of Lyndonville, Lyndonville Fire Department, Lyndonville Lions Club and Lyndonville United Methodist Women.
The schedule for the day includes:
8 to 11 a.m. – Community Breakfast/Basket Raffle at Lyndonville Presbyterian Church
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Music Boosters Craft Sale at Lyndonville School
11 a.m. to sold out – Music Boosters Beef on Weck Dinner at Lyndonville School
Noon to 2 p.m. – Holiday Cookie Decorating Station at Webber Kitchen
2 to 4 p.m. – Petting Zoo at Library Parking Lot
2 to 4 p.m. – Hot Chocolate from M&T Bank at Library Parking Lot
2 to 4 p.m. – Catherine Street Bakery at Library Parking Lot
2 to 4:30 p.m. – Frosty Toss with Christine Heideman Insurance Broker at Library Parking Lot
2 to 4:45 p.m. – Horse Drawn Carriage Rides at Village Hall
2 to 6 p.m. – Mr. Pix Popcorn at Library Parking Lot
2 to 6 p.m. – Blue Groove Coffee/Bubba’s Loganberry at Library Parking Lot
2 to 6 p.m. – Dubby’s Wood Fired at Library Parking Lot
2 to 6:30 p.m. – NYS Child ID with Orleans County Sheriff’s Dept at Village Hall
3 to 4:30 p.m. – Craft & Games at Yates Community Library
3 to 6 p.m. – Hotdogs & Sodas from Lyndonville Lions Club at Library
3 to 6 p.m. – Cup of Chili from Champs at Library Parking Lot
4:30 to 5 p.m. – Caroling at Veterans Park
5 p.m. – Santa’s Arrival & Lighting of Trees at Vet’s Park
5:15 to 6:30 p.m. – Visit with Santa
7 p.m. – Christmas LaLaPalooza at Lyndonville Presbyterian Church
Letters can also be mailed to Santa at the North Pole Post located at the Yates Community Library.
Provided photo: (from left) Aimee Chaffee and Shelly Harling represent the Lyndonville Foundation and present a check to Lyndonville Central School Superintendent Sharon Smith, School Counselor Jeff Kingsbury, and Jr. Sr. High School Principal Dr. Aaron Slack.
Posted 15 November 2023 at 8:49 am
Press Release, Lyndonville Area Foundation
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Area Foundation has contributed $4,000 to students at Lyndonville School to pay for tuition for Genesee Community College through the ACE program.
This allows students to earn college credit for courses taken here at school. $4,000 in scholarship money will pay for 17 students to take one college class while they are dual enrolled in their high school classes.
Together with funding approved by the Lyndonville Board of Education, Lyndonville High School students will be taking a total of 56 college courses at no cost to students and families.
Provided photos: Lyndonville Leo Club members include, in alphabetical order: Aiden Allen, Liam Anderson, Ava Austin, Madalynn Baker, Isabella Bresett, Sarah Corser, Madison Davis, Hannah Fox, Alviia Goigova, Amber Grabowski, Logan Hodgins, Amir Huzair, Molly Ingersoll, Abby Kerstetter, Kendyll, Kidney, Hannah Marker, Emily Miner, Alyssa Prine, Hannah Songer, Savannah Spoth and Elizabeth Whipple.
Posted 10 November 2023 at 3:40 pm
Courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions Club met on Wednesday night for two special ceremonies, the induction of a new member and also the induction of students into the LEO Club at the school.
The LEO Club is a high school-based club sponsored by the Lyndonville Lions under the Lions Club International umbrella. The club recruits high school students who seek responsibility to their fellow man and community service.
LEO stands for “Leadership, Experience and Opportunity.” It fosters commitment to community service. The LEO Club further allows the Lyndonville Lions to mentor and empower high school students in the Lyndonville community who will become the standard bearers of the next generation.
At present the LEO Club has 21 members. The club is directed by elected student leaders and is has an oversight advisor, Gina Marker, a Lyndonville High School English teacher. The LEOs are available for all community service projects and local charity events. Those wishing for assistance in future community service projects may contact the Lyndonville LEO Club for volunteer assistance on their projects.
Tyler Godfrey, right, is inducted into the Lyndonville Lions Club. He is joined by Club President Harold Suhr, left, and Tyler’s grandfather David Godfrey, a Niagara County legislator.
The club was honored to induct its newest member, Tyler Godfrey, who works and resides in Niagara County. He has done volunteer work for the Lyndonville Lions Club during the 2023 events calendar and has made the decision to become a full member of the Lyndonville organization.
He was sponsored by his grandfather Mr. David Godfrey who also assisted in the candlelight induction ceremony.
The Lions Club also discussed the 50th anniversary July 4th celebration with details to be announced in the coming months. Efforts are underway by the Lyndonville Lions to make the 2024 celebration event the largest ever held in Lyndonville.
The addition of several new bands to the parade and expansion of the fireworks show were topics on the agenda. Preliminary discussion about additions of new venues for the day-long July 4th celebration are ongoing and future fundraising projects were proposed.
The Lyndonville Lions would like to thank all those who have supported the organization over the years. We wish all a Happy Thanksgiving and ask that we take time this holiday season to give thanks for the many blessings bestowed on us.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2023 at 8:52 am
Photo courtesy of Paul Hand
LYNDONVILLE – The St. Joseph’s Catholic Church has been knocked down this week following a fire on Feb. 28, 2023 that caused extensive damage to the site at 36 Lake Ave.
The Diocese of Buffalo announced on July 10 that the church would not be repaired and would be demolished. The wrecking crew has been on site this week.
Paul Hand, a parishioner at St. Joseph’s since 2010, stopped by on Wednesday and saw the main structure in a heap in the basement.
“It is an emotional time for a lot of people,” Hand said. “It was our spiritual home.”
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1917 as a mission church under St. Mary’s in Medina.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Here is how the site looked on Feb. 28, 2023 when multiple fire departments responded to the scene.
Firefighters were dispatched to the church at 3:41 a.m. on Feb. 28 when a passerby saw flames shooting out from the back of the building. The fire started in a classroom structure attached to the church. There was smoke and water damage throughout much of the building.
The pews were covered in soot and soggy insulation from the fire. The walls peeled and the former white interior turned gray and black after the fire.
Photos by Paul Hand
Hand started going to St. Joseph’s in 2010 after the Sacred Heart Catholic Church was closed in Medina. Hand now attends St. Mary’s in Medina. He said other parishioners from St. Joseph’s are now going to Catholic churches in Barker, Medina and Albion.
Hand said seeing the site in a demolished state was difficult for him. He was especially struck by seeing the stairs no longer leading to the main building.
“Those were the stairs we walked into every Sunday,” he said. “Now there’s a stairway to nothing.”
He appreciates the Diocese did move to take the building down, rather than have it languish unoccupied for years.
“It would have been a shame to see it sit there deteriorating,” he said. “Now we can move forward.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2023 at 2:16 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville elementary students are performing Disney’s Jungle Book Kids with shows at 7 p.m. today and 2 p.m. on Saturday at the school’s Stroyan Auditorium, 25 Housel Ave. Admission is free with donations accepted.
The top photo shows Bagheera, a panther played by Emily Kroll. She looks out for Mowgli, a boy who was raised by wolves and played by Fatima Lieberman, back right.
Lydia Bailor is Baloo, a giant bear at left who befriends Mowgli.
There are 40 Lyndonville fifth- and sixth-graders in the cast, including Sierra Frasier who is the flower. Students are also running the lights and helped make the set pieces.
Declan Fonda plays King Louie, an orangutan and wily leader of the jungle.
Fatima Lieberman plays the role of Mowgli, who has been raised in the jungle. Some of his animal friends realize the jungle has become too dangerous for Mowgli and they try to connect him to a “man village.”
Lydia Bailor plays Baloo and sings “The Bare Necessities.” Baloo urges a more care-free lifestyle for Mowgli, a contrast from the message from Bagheera.
Madelyn Ingersoll is Kaa, a snake that lulls Mowgli to sleep and tries to squeeze him into submission. The snake coils include Caylin Scholes, Harli Crawford, Chloe Sabino and Annaliese Irwin.
YATES – The Town of Yates cancelled the Oct. 12 Town Board meeting, and apologizes to those who arrived and planned to attend the meeting.
It is rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
The public is advised that the Yates Town Board plans to vote on a resolution to approve the tentative budget for 2024 at the Oct. 18 meeting. If the resolution passes, then the tentative budget becomes the preliminary budget for 2024 and will be subject to a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, at the Town Hall.
Melissa Kate Miller, left, and Kristin Brandt will be featured on Monday at Yates Community Library.
LYNDONVILLE – The Erie Canal Traveling Museum will be the first of two featured programs at Yates Community Library in downtown Lyndonville on Columbus Day, Monday. The program begins at 11 a.m.
Gathered over decades, fascinating tools and other artifacts used in everyday life in our area in the early-to-mid-1800s will be on display. Presenter Melissa Kate Miller will shed light on how they were used, and attendees can get a hands-on look at the artifacts.
“Different Perspectives On The Erie Canal,” presented by Kristin Brandt, will be the second feature of the day (also observed as Indigenous Peoples’ Day), starting at 1 p.m.
This program will explore the differences and disputes between the local Native Americans known as the Haudenosaunee, and New York Governor DeWitt Clinton at the time of Canal construction. Respect for nature and the plant life native to the Canal corridor will also be explored.
Both programs are encouraged for ages 8 and up, and are free of charge. This programming has been made possible by the generous support of Humanities New York and Arts for Learning WNY. The library will provide snacks and water for attendees, between the two programs. For more information, please call the library at (585) 765-9041.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2023 at 2:55 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The village has been approved for $576,437 in short-term, interest-free financing for the planning, design and construction of disinfection improvements at the village’s wastewater treatment plant.
Mayor John Belson said the news is “huge” for the village which is in the process of putting in the chlorination system that was mandated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Belson said the village has tried to get government grants and financing assistance previously but wasn’t approved.
He said the new chlorination system should be in place by the end of the month.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the financing for Lyndonville this afternoon as part of $234.5 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects across the state.
“By investing in our state’s water infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for regional growth and prosperity while protecting our natural resources,” Governor Hochul said in a press release. “This financial assistance helps ensure that cost will not be a barrier as communities across the state continue to modernize treatment systems with vital infrastructure upgrades, helping usher in a healthier, more resilient future for New York.”
Provided photos: From left include Lutheran Pastor Craig Rhodenizer, United Methodist Pastor Timothy Schultz, Presbyterian Pastor Martha Mitchell, volunteer Laura Campbell, volunteer DeAnn Diermyer, and Lyndonville Area Foundation Treasurer Russ Martino.
Posted 28 September 2023 at 1:50 pm
Press Release, Lyndonville Area Foundation
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Area Foundation donated $4,000 to assist the Lyndonville Yates Ministerial Association to operate the LYFE – Lyndonville Yates Food Emergency pantry.
The pantry is located in the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church and has been in operation for about 30 years. This community ministry is supported by volunteers and donations from the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, Lyndonville United Methodist Church, Yates Baptist Church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Our Lady of the Lake, Foodlink and by the generosity of private donors and caring citizens.
The food pantry and other services that LYMA offers such as the Foodlink drive-thru distribution events have grown over the years and supports about 75 families monthly, said Pastor Martha Mitchell. She attributes this to the quality of products that are offered and the consistency and availability of the pantry.
With an industrial-sized refrigerator and freezer, the pantry allows them to offer an assortment of cold and frozen food items along with canned and boxed food, personal hygiene items and even diapers.
The pantry is open to local residents from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 107 North Main Street, Lyndonville. Pastor Mitchell said that they can always use donations of food staples like canned soup, macaroni, ketchup, mustard, cereal, pancake mix, syrup, canned chicken and hamburger helper.
If you can donate your time or would like to drop off food items to support the pantry, please contact Pastor Mitchell by calling the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church at (585)765-2838 or stop in during the normal pantry hours and introduce yourself. They are always looking for volunteers!
The pantry includes an industrial-size refrigerator and freezer, as well as shelves for food.
Project became inactive due to added costs and concern from fault line near site
The pristine beauty of Lake Ontario is pictured from the Yates shoreline. (Courtesy of Michael Loftus)
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 3, No. 31
YATES – In the 1970s, a second rural Orleans County site was considered as the location of a nuclear facility.
Beginning in the 1960s, NYSEG began to acquire parcels of land in the Town of Yates and the neighboring Town of Somerset in Niagara County in anticipation of the construction of an atomic electric generating station.
The Journal-Register of May 11, 1972, announced that the New York State Atomic and Space Development Authority (ASDA) had selected a site in the Town of Yates for study as a possible location for the construction of an atomic power generating station.
The site, referred to as the Morrison Road Site, was an area bounded by the Lake Ontario shoreline, Foss Road and Morrison Road. Construction costs would range from $350-$400 million and completion would take eight to ten years. A site in the Town of Wilson was also under consideration, as was a site in Cayuga, Town of Sterling.
Speaking at an Albion Chamber of Commerce dinner held at Marti’s Restaurant in Albion, on May 24, 1972, ASDA chairman James G. Cline outlined the positive aspects of the plant. Members of the Orleans County Industrial Development Authority and the Orleans County Economic Development Authority were also in attendance.
Mr. Cline and other members of the ASDA staff claimed that the overall impact of the plant would be minimal and that it would provide considerable economic benefit. Analysts had determined that the site in question consisted of “low- viability farmland that was marginal at best.” The power transmission route would be underground and out of view. Discharged water would not interfere with lake ecology, surface algae or critical marine life. Similar plants showed no radioactive buildup, even after ten years of operation.
However, residents of the Town of Yates were not impressed.
The Journal-Register of 14 June 1972 reported on an “Open Letter” prepared by a group of Lyndonville signers who urged a letter-writing campaign to local, county, state and federal officials protesting the installation.
Among those who signed the letter were Bartlett Breed, Bernard Brinsmaid, Mr. & Mrs. James Whipple, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Whipple, Mr. & Mrs. John Eppolito and many others. The letter began:
“The signers of this letter are opposed to the building of an atomic power plant in the Town of Yates, or indeed, anywhere on the river and lake front between Buffalo on the west and Rochester on the east.”
The arguments against the proposed plant were cogently argued, the probability and disastrous consequences of an accident being the foremost cause of concern.
The letter pointed out the false claims and spurious logic used in the promotion of the proposal. It referred to the findings of the Brookhaven Report (1957) which questioned the safety of nuclear energy and clearly outlined the catastrophic consequences of an accident which the Atomic Energy Commission had acknowledged.
It also explained the conundrum caused by the Brookhaven Report: based on the findings of the report, utility companies refused to build atomic plants unless covered by insurance, but insurance companies refused to provide the necessary insurance to utility companies who planned to build atomic energy sites.
However, the Price-Anderson Act (1957) circumvented this roadblock. Under this act, the government and the private insurance industry would provide a limited amount of coverage for atomic power plants, thus freeing utility companies from liability in the case of a catastrophic occurrence.
The letter argued that the insistence that atomic power plants be situated in rural areas was a further indication of their inherent dangers. It cited the dangers of low-level radiation and of toxic radioactive wastes. It also pointed out that the Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs of New York State, representing some three hundred thousand members, had called for a moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants in the state.
The topic generated a great deal of discussion, articles, and Letters to the Editor in 1973 and 1974. Then, on July 25, 1975, NYSEG announced that plans for the construction of nuclear power plants in Somerset and Yates were suspended, following the discovery of a geological fault reported by the US Geological Survey.
The existence of the Clarendon-Linden Fault which extends some 60 miles from Attica to Lake Ontario would necessitate investigation into the geological and seismic factors which could potentially disrupt stored nuclear material and would greatly increase construction costs. The Morrison Road site was deemed inactive, and Somerset was designated a prime site for a coal-fired power plant.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 August 2023 at 1:36 pm
School officials eyeing about $24 million in improvements, with more in next phase including possible turf field
Photo by Tom Rivers: David Kenyon, senior landscape architect, presents a rendering for a turf field at the Lyndonville, a project that school officials said will have to be pushed back for another capital project, not the one that could go to a public vote in November or December.
LYNDONVILLE – School officials are working with engineers and architects at the Wendel firm to pare down a list of projects to upgrade the school district.
An initial list of facility upgrades and site improvements at the district came in at $50 million.
That’s about twice what the district can spend with its state aid and also a district capital reserve. Lyndonville won’t pursue a project that increases local taxes, the board said at the meeting last Thursday.
The district and Wendel have grouped those projects in three phases, but some things in phase one will need to be removed to get the costs down.
School officials will try to finalize a list in the next month with the project to go to a public vote possibly in mid-November or December.
“Right now this is really big picture,” said Justin Parish, lead project architect from the Wendel firm.
He and three of his Wendel colleagues went over the costs of the project on Thursday evening with the Board of Education.
The prices listed anticipate a construction schedule two years from now in 2025 when costs are expected to be up another 16 percent, Parish said.
Lyndonville has a three-phase project to try to include all items identified to upgrade the school district.
But for now phase one tentatively includes:
The Main Street school building – $11,299,786
replace/upgrade boiler – $5,491,248
air-conditioning throughout building – $5,293,008
restroom renovation – $499,777
brick repair –$15,753
This school building was closed for a few years but reopened during the Covid pandemic in 2020-21. That building allowed Lyndonville to space out students and have in-person classes all five school days each week, while most other districts were on an alternating hybrid schedule.
Lyndonville now uses the Main Street site for ages 3 and 4 all-day prekindergarten, and first and second grades.
Housel Avenue school – $15,077,144
demolition of annex and new build – $3,879,649
roof replacement – $2,955,105
replace/upgrade boiler – $1,879,445
replace antiquated electrical panels – $1,184,868
restroom renovation – $825,322
upgrade generator (comm shelter) – $490,290
secure vestibule – $81,715
Justin Parish, lead project architect, goes over the list of items identified for the school building on Housel Avenue.
Site improvements – $10,613,584 for phase one
turf field – $3,623,190
turf field lighting – $1,339,005
6-lane rubber track – $2,362,950
softball and baseball lighting – $1,831,286
scoreboard for turf field – $551,973
bus garage parking lot – $511,973
concession stand with bathrooms – $393,825
In phases 2 and 3, the list includes an accessible playground ($708,885), courtyard design ($511,973), 1,000 seat bleachers with press box ($787,650), bleachers for softball/baseball ($236,295), pickle ball court ($291,430), baseball/softball drainage ($15,753), 10-by-10 foot storage shed ($47,259) and miscellaneous site and lighting upgrades ($551,355).
Bus garage – $574,456 for a roof replacement.
In phase 3, the district should consider an overhead door replacement ($169,943), restroom addition ($70,889) and other mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades ($1.3 million).
Lyndonville already announced parts of phase one have been eliminated, including the turf field, new track and lighting and scoreboard for the turf field.
Under the current maximum cost allowances for state aid, Lyndonville would receive up to $19,572,061 in state funding for construction and another $4,582,426 for incidentals (site work and soft costs), or $24,154,487 altogether.
The construction projects identified by the school committee and Wendel officials totaled $29,522,394 (or $9,950,333 over the maximum state aid.) The incidentals totaled $21,236,830 (or $16,654,494 over the state aid).
The district’s construction committee will meet again this week to review the project and try to narrow the scope.
Parish, the lead project architect, said the construction numbers are conservative, and it’s possible the costs may be less when the project is bid which would allow Lyndonville to include more items in phase one.
Phases two and three would need to be spaced out about every five years to allow Lyndonville to be eligible for more state aid towards a capital project.
Parish suggested the costs would be in line financially for the total project by cutting most of the site improvements, and instead only doing $433,208 in that category – $393,825 for a concession stands and bathrooms, $23,630 for baseball/softball scorebooths, and $15,753 for baseball/softball drainage.
Sharon Smith, the district superintendent, said it was a “gut punch” to have to cut the new track and turf field.
“We’ve taken our hopes and dreams and tried to set priorities,” she said.
Ted Lewis, president of the Lyndonville Board of Education, listens to a presentation from engineers and architects at the Wendel firm on Thursday evening.
YATES – In the 1970s, a second rural Orleans County site was considered as the location of a nuclear facility.
