Bethel Park facilities subcommittee outlines reuse plan; Ben Franklin and Washington eyed for municipal use

A facilities reuse subcommittee told the Bethel Park School District Board of School Directors on April 8 that community needs should guide what happens to elementary buildings the district will no longer use once it opens a single elementary center.

The subcommittee recommended transferring George Washington and Ben Franklin schools to the municipality for recreation and green space, earmarking William Penn and Abraham Lincoln for public auction, and keeping Memorial School in district hands for community-oriented uses such as adult day care or nonprofit leasing. "What suits the community… the needs of our community was the number one priority," the committee said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The district expects to reduce its campus footprint as part of the consolidation to one elementary facility. The subcommittee’s proposals would shift maintenance and liability away from the school district in some cases, preserve community recreation space in…