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Date: 3/6/2015
CHICOPEE – Mayor Richard Kos outlined his presentation to the Diocese of Springfield for a site to consider for the proposed regional Catholic high school to the press on March 3.
In the discussion on whether or not to rebuild Cathedral High School on its Springfield site or to construct a school elsewhere, Kos is proposing the diocese consider the site of the former Uniroyal tire factory.
“It’s another set of facts, another option for the bishop to consider,” Kos said.
Showing a map of the site, Kos noted a number of buildings have already been demolished, with another one planned to go down.
Kos said the site is 26 acres in size and, based on what he learned during the construction of Chicopee High during his first administration, a new Catholic high school would require 16 acres for the buildings and playing field.
The property that is cleared now would probably go out to bid for potential development either this year or next year, Kos said.
The administration building, which is being sealed for future development, is not part of the potential high school site.
Kos said there has been no consideration of price for the property as yet.
He believes continuing a Catholic high school in the city – it is the home of Holyoke Catholic High School – might result in collaborations between it and the city’s public high schools.
Holyoke Catholic High School, according to Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, will be combined with the existing Cathedral High School in 2016, although the location of a school for that student body hasn’t been revealed.
Kos said that parents of Holyoke Catholic students have been happy with the school in the renovated Assumption Church school building.