Committee approves care and control request for Oak Haven property; district to manage building used by maintenance and technology

The Coventry School Committee voted unanimously Jan. 9 to ask the town to transfer care and control of the Oak Haven School building to Coventry Public Schools for use by the district’s physical-plant and technology departments and for potential community rental use.

District staff described the building’s history: once a neighborhood school then vacant for years, Oak Haven had been returned to town control and later used to house the district’s maintenance and technology operations after the town built a new police station and senior center on the prior maintenance site. Staff told the committee the district currently occupies roughly 85% of the building and pays roughly 85% of its utilities; they estimated annual utility costs for the site range from $15,000 to $20,000 depending on heating needs.

Staff said gaining care and control would simplify building management, allow district-led capital improvements and enable opportunities to generate revenue — for example, by renting the gym to youth-sports organizations and other users and by adding the site to the district’s net-metering roster so the building could use solar credits from a district arrangement. Staff clarified that the motion does not change current bus-depot plans and that any community rental would require custodial coverage during use.

Committee members asked about neighborhood traffic and usage; staff emphasized that the request would not bring buses back to the site and that day-to-day traffic would remain largely unchanged because maintenance and technology employees already operate there and spend much of their time at other schools.

Ending: The committee approved the request 7–0 and staff said they will work with town officials on the formal transfer and next steps, including a building assessment and an initial plan for modest facility improvements and rental policies.