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Board says Waterford move on track; staff says environmental reviews show no hazards
Summary
Board received construction and relocation updates for the Waterford Community Center, timetable guidance for a likely spring move and staff assurance that environmental reviews did not identify hazards cited by some residents.
The Gardner City Health and Aging Board on Nov. 3 received a construction and relocation update for the Waterford Community Center site and discussed timing, staging and safety concerns.
Staff reported that doors have been ordered and that concrete work was underway; construction progress supports tentative staging in late March with an anticipated move and opening in mid to late April. Staff warned there may be a two-week closure period to pack and stage items for the move, and said staging will be organized to minimize service disruption during tax season and other high-demand periods.
Members raised constituent concerns about environmental hazards in the building. Staff said they had reviewed environmental reports, inspected the building (including basement and classrooms) and found no hazards that would prevent staff from working there. The speaker who addressed the concern described the reviews as reassuring and characterized some public statements about environmental risk as politically motivated rather than evidence-based.
Board members also discussed pragmatic sequencing of renovations — for example, removing lockers before repainting hallways to avoid repeated patching — and asked about the logistics for disposing or repurposing surplus fixtures. Staff and the city council had discussed phased renovations and options to reduce upfront costs while making the space usable.
No formal action was taken; board discussion focused on timing, safety checks and operational logistics for the relocation.
