Local Leaders Help Break Ground on New SHS Pavilion

Armed with gold-tipped shovels and brand-new, white construction helmets, town officials broke ground for a new concessions and refreshment facility at Suffield High School.

Several town officials, including First Selectman Tom Frenaye, Director of Public Works Jack Muska, Rotary President Bob Lowell, Superintendent Mary Greenlaw-Dixon and others, came together on a cool Wednesday morning for the ceremony. A lively crowd joined them at the site to help celebrate the start of construction. The project sprung from the fund-raising efforts and initiative of the Suffield Rotary.

The $260,000 facility is set to be constructed on the high school grounds near the athletic fields. Rotary giving committee chairman Jim Wood said the effort represented by far the largest contribution ever by the Rotary Club.

“The largest project we funded in town before this was a $5,000 flag pole at the Veteran's Memorial over ten years ago, so this represents a big jump,” Wood said.

The idea for the facility arose when it was brought to the Rotary's attention that students and others were using portable toilets at sporting events. The planning for the project began a year and a half ago with the selection of the architect in the fall of 2010.

Ted Cutler of Tecton Architects in Hartford was responsible for the design of the building. Cutler is a resident of Suffield and his services during the construction process will be offered pro bono to the project.

There was a conscious effort by the building committee to match the styling of the high school.

“We wanted to do this right,” Wood said.

The project was originally estimated to cost roughly $100,000 but as the design developed, a bigger and better facility grew from the efforts.

Local contractor Rick Burke, the project's construction manager, was also on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony. Burke owns Suffield company Burke Construction. He and his crew are set to begin excavation on Monday with a targeted completion date of July 15, 2011.

Most of the funds were raised by the Rotary through their involvement with the Packard Memorial Golf Tournament, a partnership going back five years. The opening of the facility is scheduled in advance of the 20th anniversary of the tournament in August.

The facility will contain snack and refreshment areas, permanent rest rooms and ares for storage of sporting equipment.

“It will truly be a community building,” said Rotarian and building committee member Scott Seabury. “We are really excited about it and look forward to the community embracing it.”