Gardner schools identify $500,000 auditorium upgrade, kitchen exhaust and other summer projects; solar study proposed

The Gardner Public Schools facilities subcommittee reported on May 1 a slate of maintenance and capital projects for district buildings, including an estimated $500,000 electrical and theatrical lighting upgrade for Gardner High School’s auditorium and an estimated $50,000 kitchen hood and exhaust replacement.

The item matters because the district’s oldest buildings are showing age and several repairs are timed for summer to avoid interrupting classes. The projects outlined range from mechanical and safety work to longer-term planning, including a feasibility study for installing solar panels on school roofs.

School Committee member Mister Schwartz delivered the facilities update and listed major items planned at the high school: “The Auditorium… is in phase 3 with the sound system and the electric service and… the theatrical lighting replacement,” he said, adding that the original estimate of about three quarters of a million dollars is “now down to be around $500,000.” Schwartz also identified a kitchen hood exhaust replacement after inspectors found a piece of wood obstructing sections of the existing stack, and he said that work is scheduled for summer break.

Schwartz described other high-school priorities: replacing an aging dishwasher and ductwork, removing and replacing a cast-iron drain pipe that is flooding a nurse’s office, locker room renovations, toilet partition replacement, stair tread replacement and replacement or repair of a standby generator. He noted the high school building is “over 50 years old,” a condition that factors into the scale and urgency of work.

At the middle school, Schwartz listed 10 projects including entrance walk-off grill replacement and boiler-room work. He said some roof repairs are on hold because the district received Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) funding for a roof replacement scheduled for 2026. He also reported that underground fuel storage is contaminated and requires a decision—options include pumping out the tank, replacing it, or switching to above-ground storage.

The report covered districtwide needs as well: security and access-system upgrades, concrete work, fence repairs, and miscellaneous paving. On renewable energy, Schwartz said the district is pursuing “a feasibility study” and will need to award a contract and set a schedule before any installation of solar panels on school buildings.

No formal vote was taken on the project list during the facilities report; the subcommittee presented the items for the full committee’s consideration and scheduling. Several of the projects were described as planned for summer to limit impact on students and staff, and the MSBA roof funding carries a 2026 timeline for work.

District officials signaled next steps include contractor procurement where needed and additional testing or planning for systems such as fire sprinklers and underground fuel handling.