Town Applauded As 6-Year H.S. Renovation Ends

By KAITLIN KEANE

Nearly six years after voters approved a $38 million budget for the project, the renovations and addition to Canton High School are complete.

Administrators, parents and students celebrated at a ribbon- cutting ceremony yesterday in the school’s auditorium. Performances by the high school band and an a cappella group were joined by speeches from state Rep. William Galvin and Sen. Brian A. Joyce.

During the ceremony, Principal Edward Mulvey, who was a science teacher at the school when the renovation was proposed, thanked students for putting up with the construction in their school for several years.

School committee Chairman John Bonnanzio commended the town’s willingness to make sacrifices to have a better facility for future classes.

The town’s “profound and necessary commitment to education” is a tradition that dates back to the construction of Canton’s first school house, built nearly 300 years ago, he said.

At town meeting in 2001, voters approved spending $37.6 million to renovate the school. The vote was 1,960 to 1,020, or 66 to 34 percent.

The planning began as early as 1997, when parents and teachers expressed a desire to update science and technology facilities. A committee of 12 parents was formed to work with administrators throughout the project, which gradually grew to include more of the school.

The result was a full-scale renovation that connected three previously separated buildings, improved science and technology facilities and made the school accessible to the disabled.

School committee member Laura Hallowell praised the community for sticking by a difficult project.

“Involved citizens are powerful and make a difference in the community,” said Hallowell, who was among the first parents to come forward and ask for better facilities.

While the project exceeded the initial completion date of 2004, administrators said they were proud to have kept the project under budget – an “almost unheard of” accomplishment for most school renovations, Joyce said.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a reception was held in the cafeteria as students took parents and visitors on tours of the school.

Kaitlin Keane may be reached at kkeane@ledger.com.

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