File photo A $10.2 million turf lacrosse field is part of the Gowanda Central School District’s proposed capital project.

GOWANDA — The next major capital project vote at the Gowanda Central School District will take place this winter. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., district residents can cast their votes in the library of Gowanda Middle School regarding a $44.5 million capital project proposal.

The proposal is set to include the construction of a new turf athletic field for lacrosse, as well as auditorium and library upgrades and crucial maintenance needs, including several roof replacements.

“We’re really excited about this project scope,” Superintendent Dr. Robert Anderson said.

While the proposed project totals $44.5 million of work, the district anticipates no additional tax impact on its residents. The district would utilize $9.5 million of Capital Reserve funds, along with $9.1 million of Native American Aid and $340,000 in Excel Aid to fund the project, along with the State Building Aid amount of $25.56 million. The Gowanda Central School District has a State Building Aid reimbursement rate of 95.4% on aid-eligible work.

At a special meeting earlier this month, the Gowanda Board of Education unanimously issued a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), meaning the project will not pose a negative impact on the environment.

The Board then passed a resolution to list the project on a ballot for voters to decide the fate of the $44.5 million proposal on Dec. 9, with all but one member of the Board voting in favor of the proposition to be listed on the ballot. The lone vote against the proposition was Mark Nephew, the mayor of Gowanda and longest standing member of the Board of Education. The capital project in its entirety will be listed as the only proposition on the ballot.

In the event that the vote is postponed due to weather or other circumstances, the vote will be held on the next day the polling site is available, during the same hours as listed. Voters are urged to monitor the district website in the event of a postponed vote for more information.

Absentee ballots may be obtained at the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Military ballots may also be obtained through the District Clerk’s Office. Applications are due by 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14. Ballots must be received by the district by 5 p.m., Dec. 9, to be counted.

The capital project proposal was designed by Young and Wright Architectural. A presentation was given to the Board of Education by associates Alyssa Catlin, Matt Cummings, and Rick Krouse earlier this year.

In the district’s latest Building Conditions Survey, a total of $70 million of necessary improvements were identified over the next 10 years at Gowanda Central Schools. Those improvements were prioritized into short-term and long-term areas of improvement to be addressed in the upcoming Capital Project proposal, future proposals of similar size, and annual Capital Outlay projects.

The $44.5 million capital project proposed to voters in December features $32 million of work targeted for the Middle/High School campus, with the remaining $12.5 million at the Elementary School campus.

The most costly improvement at the Middle/High School campus is a $10.2 million turf lacrosse field, including stadium lights, bleachers that seat 500 people, a scoreboard, netting behind the crease, and fencing around the perimeter. The field’s primary design would be for lacrosse, but it could be utilized as a football field, as well, especially for practices and youth contests.

Other improvements at the Middle/High School campus include $7.4 million in mechanical upgrades, $5.8 million in roof replacements, $4.3 million in auditorium upgrades, $2.9 million in various other items. Improvements at the Elementary School campus include $5.5 million in mechanical upgrades, $2.8 million in roof replacements, $1.5 million to renovate the library, and roughly $800,000 in various other items.

Some of the most crucial maintenance needs that are targeted in the project include roofs at both buildings that were installed in 2001. Replacing those roofs with this project will ensure warranty coverage at both buildings. The other roofs identified in the Building Conditions Survey, installed in 2006 and 2007, will be targeted for replacement in a future project.

At the Middle/High School campus, targeted improvements include the replacement of deteriorated stairs, ramps and the loading dock, as well as elevator modernization and the addressing of cracks in the gym walls. Boilers and cooling systems at the Middle/High School will also be replaced. Mechanical upgrades at the Elementary School include a data room cooling system, as well as flooring upgrades throughout the Elementary School, including the Elementary cafeteria.

The district is also targeting lead mitigation and piping replacements at both campuses, including the addition of a water filter at the Middle/High School campus. Other improvements at both campuses include the replacement of the district’s 25-year-old remote terminal units and humidity mitigation measures.

If approved by voters in December, New York state approval of the project is targeted for early 2027, with construction likely to begin in 2028 if approved by the state.