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Fredonia school facilities upgrades are underway

After many years of discussing and planning, a substantial portion of the Fredonia Central School District Capital Project upgrades are underway. Perhaps most notably, the two playgrounds on the Wheelock School campus are nearly complete.

"The playgrounds are going to be ready close to the start of the year," said Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox. "The goal is to have them ready for use ASAP."

The playground upgrades are part of Proposition 1 of the district's 2024 Capital Project. That proposition, titled, "Keeping Students Warm, Safe, and Dry", amounted to approximately $22.1 million worth of maintenance upgrades to the district. It resulted in a tax increase of 1.9% for district taxpayers.

"We are extremely appreciative of our taxpayers, who supported this part of the project," said Zilliox.

The first phase of work stemming from Proposition 1 of the Capital Project is underway across all facets of the district. Approximately $4 million worth of work is being done in the first phase. Of that $4 million, approximately $1.2 million is allocated to critical roofing upgrades, with roughly $1 million dedicated to upgrading the two playgrounds located at the Wheelock School campus.

Another one of the upgrades from the first phase of the project is a resurfacing of the track at the main campus, handled by Rekortan, which is now complete. Other work that is underway includes repairs to the maintenance shed, elementary school flooring replacements, a new exhaust fan and skylights at the Wheelock School, and drainage and landscape improvements.

The improvements to the district were planned and designed by Young and Wright Architectural Firm, with on-site supervision and support from Buffalo Construction Consultants. Zilliox noted his appreciation for the assistance the district has received from both Young and Wright as well as Buffalo Construction. Zilliox said, "Both of them are totally delivering on what they said they would bring to the table."

The second phase of work stemming from the approval of Proposition 1 will be bid this fall, with anticipated start dates of construction in the spring of 2027. Those improvements include replacing the HVAC unit and adding air conditioning to the Wheelock cafeteria, replacement of the roof unit for the Wheelock library, isolation valves and hot water tank replacement at Wheelock, and emergency generator replacement at both district campuses. The main campus will also have significant portions of its roof replaced, as well as replaced fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and isolation valves. The main campus pool heater and dehumidification unit will be replaced, along with the grinder pump and sewer ejector, and the electrical distribution system.

Zilliox said "the vast majority" of the work in Proposition 1 was directly identified by the district's Building Condition Survey, an analysis of all of the facilities and systems across the district, required by New York State every five years. The survey was conducted by Young and Wright. Most of the upgrades don't have significant "curb appeal", but are deemed critical for the district to function effectively at its existing facilities moving forward.

The Building Condition Survey, which Young and Wright began in the summer of 2023, identified roughly $50 million of necessary building upgrades, including many major needs that have gone unaddressed for a substantial amount of time, especially the district's roofs. From that $50 million figure, the district prioritized $22.1 million worth of work for the Capital Project at a 1.9% tax increase, with the remaining needs addressed in other ways or pushed off for a project down the line once the State Aid reimbursement figures reset.

The new playgrounds and track resurfacing are the most exciting upgrades, but with the former track deteriorating and both playgrounds having outdated and potentially unsafe equipment that was not age-appropriate, every improvement is categorized as a "Warm, Safe, and Dry" enhancement of the district. The playgrounds were initially designed for older elementary students, but the new equipment is specifically targeted to serve the Pre-K to Grade 1 students at Wheelock. Both playgrounds are designed to be fully accessible for all students and ADA-compliant.

In the two years since voters approved Proposition 1 of the Capital Project in the winter of 2024, the district has also approved Capital Outlay Projects totaling roughly $100,000 each year, as permitted by New York State. Last year, the majority of that work was done on the Main Campus Playground to increase safety and accessibility with new equipment and surfacing. This year, the majority of the work has been focused on improving the quality of the softball field.

When voters did not approve Proposition 3 of the Capital Project in the winter of 2024, pertaining to athletic department upgrades, the district vowed it would continue to look for ways to improve its athletic fields. In its latest Capital Outlay Project, the district focused the majority of the work on its softball field. Former Head Coach Jesse Beers amplified the concerns surrounding the field at several Board of Education meetings.

This summer, the work on the softball field has progressed significantly. Approximately $70,000 worth of improvements are being made to the field, including a fully revamped infield that has been skinned and leveled to address uneven spots that presented safety risks to fielders and baserunners. Revamping the infield should also alleviate some of the drainage concerns associated with the field. There have also been minor improvements to the outfield grass, such as weeding work.

"We're trying to be responsive to concerns and we're trying to upgrade our facilities as much as we can," Zilliox said.