New school plan saves beech tree
By Aymie Vanderlyke

The trees in front of Newark Middle School have been spared the wrath of the school district's multi-million-dollar construction project.

When some residents learned earlier this month that at least one tree - a beautiful, old beech - would be lost, they asked the school board to consider other options.

At Thursday night's board meeting, members were presented with another option that would prevent the tree's removal. Representatives from LeChase Construction said that the newest option would call for a handicapped ramp to be built in the front of the Miller Street school. This would alleviate the need to create an access road, which would have resulted in cutting down an ash and a beech tree, each at least 60 years old.

Under the new proposal, two ramps would be created in front of the Middle School. The first would stretch from the sidewalk beside Miller Street to the first landing in front of the school, and the second would be located from the landing to the front door entrance to the school. The front ramps would also create a need for the addition of two handicapped parking spaces in front of the building.

The cost of this ramp is estimated between $35,000 to $40,000. Previous proposals would have cost the district upwards of $65,000.

Board members Dr. Louis Jasper and David Honness voiced opinions in favor of a Miller Street ramp.

'I think that for safety purposes alone we should consider having the ramp on the front of the entrance,' Jasper said.

Honness agreed. 'My recommendation is that we go with the ramps in the front,' he said. 'There's no danger to the tree, and it serves people with handicaps in a dignified way.'

Both Jasper and Honness had previous concerns that creating a handicapped ramp in the back of the building would send a de-valuing message to those who would potentially use it.

Newark resident Ralph Marcano had led opposition to removing the trees. He presented the board with several photos of handicapped ramps in Newark and encouraged BOE members to study the photos and consider them when making a final decision on the Middle School ramp.

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