Thursday, July 13, 2000 Older Editions

One hockey rink at a time

By Rebecca Piro

Phillips Academy may be willing to build one hockey rink and see its effects on the area before starting another, says its facilities director.

This and other possible alterations to the master plan may be good news to the Neighbors of Phillips Academy, an organized group of residents with concerns about the project, who have been skeptical about traffic issues and a single permit for the project, among other things.

The Neighbors have been rallying to persuade the Planning Board to issue a permit for only the first phase of PA's plan, which would allow construction of only one rink. PA would need to acquire a second permit from the board after construction on the first rink was completed, before they could begin building the second rink. This would give the board and the public a chance to review progress and offer their opinions the best course of action for the next rink.

Board member Linn Anderson asked PA Director of Facilities Michael Williams if he would be willing to entertain such a possibility at the Planning Board on Tuesday. "Could you come back for the second rink under a new filing, where the Planning Board could do a review process (before issuing the second permit)?" she inquired.

"Yes," said Williams. "It may make sense to have a condition for review worded into the permit."

However, Williams added, he wants everyone to understand that PA fully intends to complete both phases of the project. "We still want to build the full site, and we want people to realize we're headed in that direction," he said.

"A project of this magnitude is unprecedented in this area," said Tom Childs of 244 South Main St., and a member of the Neighbors. "Everyone will be better served if only the first phase is applicable to the permit, not both," he said.

Traffic changes in the master plan are a distinct possibility as well, according to Kenneth Cram, traffic engineer for PA. Cram announced that Mass Highway, which had previously refused to entertain any decreases on the Route 28 speed limit, may allow a speed reduction zone around the proposed rink entrance.

PA will recommend a transition between the marked 25 miles-per-hour zone south of the proposed entrance and the abrupt jump to 45 m.p.h. north of the entrance. Cram projects that a 35 m.p.h. zone between those two areas will slow traffic down.

In addition, Cram said, the highway department is not in favor of PA's plan for a center, left-turning lane on Route 28, because of a high potential for head-on collisions.

He said he recognized that both the speed limit and the left-turn lane have been issues of concern with the Neighbors, and they may be altered due to the combined concern of the state and community.

"(The traffic situation) is one of the things we need more discussion on," said Williams. "This is not a final solution yet."

The hearing will be continued to a special Planning Board meeting dedicated solely to Phillips on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall Library. Discussion will be capped at two hours.

The Planning Board will walk the site of the rinks project with PA officials on Tuesday, July 25 at 6 p.m.

The public is welcome to join, and the group will be meeting in the parking lot behind the Pearson Farmhouse.