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Concord Public Schools seeks up to $500,000 from CPC to revamp Thoreau campus
Summary
Concord Public Schools asked the Community Preservation Committee for up to $500,000 to rehabilitate Thoreau School grounds — including a U10 multiuse soccer field, improved access and erosion control — while playground equipment will be funded separately by an estate gift and a $300,000 private campaign.
Doctor Hunter, superintendent of Concord Public Schools, presented the Thoreau campus revitalization plan to the Community Preservation Committee on Oct. 29, requesting CPC consideration of the school’s grant application. "The scope of the project really is to revitalize the Thoreau campus," Hunter said, describing field regrading, erosion control and campus beautification.
The school is requesting up to $500,000 in CPC funds, a figure Hunter said has been revised downward in updated cost documents prepared with consultant CHA. Justin Sparks, Thoreau principal, said the main athletic element is a full-scale U10 soccer field that can be split for younger players, and the plan also repurposes underused portions of the site for multiuse play areas, community gardens and improved circulation.
Tyler King of CHA walked committee members through schematic areas and the firm's cost schedule, saying the request covers permitting and construction documents as well as site work tied to landscaping and accessibility. He described one portion of the site as a former gravel lot that would be removed to make room for a new playground and surrounding green space.
Hunter and Sparks said playground equipment will be funded largely through an estate donation plus private fundraising: "The playground committee has a goal of about $300,000 to raise, to really build out the playground," Hunter said. The presenters emphasized that the playground expansion is separate from the CPC request and that the school is trying to limit taxpayer impact by combining district funds, private gifts, and state aid where possible.
Committee members pressed on use and security. Chair Burton Flint asked how evening and weekend community access would be managed; Hunter said campus use is typically restricted during school hours but is opened to the public afterward, with Concord Recreation often handling scheduling. Diane Proctor and other members raised safety concerns for open-campus fields; Hunter said the school uses outdoor cameras, staff vigilance, and supervision to manage security.
The presenters offered a phased timeline that would start design in spring and extend through 2027 for construction phases. They said they will incorporate CPC feedback during the design stage and confirmed follow-up materials — including a revised schematic and cost schedule — are available on the CPC website.
The committee did not take a funding vote at the presentation; the application will return for the committee’s decision in a future meeting.
