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DPSCD outlines wide cost range to restore Camper Shirley; board urged to seek trade partnerships
Summary
Superintendent presented a plan for restoring Camper Shirley, citing a $2.7 million low-end option to winterize cabins and reopen the site and a $40 million high-end reimagining to modernize the camp; annual operating cost estimated about $350,000.
District staff told the board the historic Camper Shirley site is deteriorated and needs repairs before students can safely return for outdoor education programming.
The superintendent presented a range of estimated costs requested by a board member: about $2.7 million would allow the district to winterize cabins and operationalize the site so students could use it again; a full reimagining — demolition and modern reconstruction with HVAC, plumbing and new cabins — could cost as much as $40 million. Staff estimated ongoing operations at roughly $350,000 per year to maintain the site and provide year-round staffing and security.
Board members suggested the district explore partnerships with skilled-trades unions and local labor to reduce renovation costs. One member said she had visited Camper Shirley with tradespeople who volunteered services and recommended tapping construction trades and community stakeholders for labor and in-kind support. Staff said the larger-dollar figure reflects the full rebuild and remediation needed because the property has been vandalized, overgrown and exposed to maintenance challenges since pandemic-era abandonment.
Why it matters: Camper Shirley provides outdoor, enrichment and experiential learning opportunities; restoring it could expand career-pathway and environmental-education programming but requires a firm plan for maintenance and site security. The district faces competing facility priorities across schools and staff said they have hesitated to invest in the camp amid daily building needs.
Next steps: staff said they would continue outreach about trade partnerships, examine phased approaches, and provide further information on funding options and operational models.
