District OKs $1.64M contract for CCHS amenities building

The Acton-Carlisle Regional District School Committee unanimously approved a bid to construct an amenities building at Memorial Field. 

The Regional School Committee gave the $1.64 million contract to low bidder City Enterprises Inc. of Springfield on July 29. 

“Many of the bids were below the cost estimate,” said Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Robert Conry, “which is different than our experience in some other bids.”

School officials proposed the amenities building to replace the portable toilets at Memorial Field with a permanent, ADA-compliant facility. Voters rejected a 2025 debt exclusion proposal to fund the project amid concerns about the cost and the impact on taxpayers.

Acton Town Meeting voters this year approved $1.4 million for the project through Community Preservation Act funds. Voters in Carlisle, the other town in the regional district, approved their $465,460 share, funding a total estimated project cost of $1.87 million.

The roughly 1,700-square-foot building will feature 16 stalls, a small concessions area, and storage space. 

Before recommending City Enterprises, Conry said the company’s qualifications and experience were reviewed by Gale Associates — the district’s design firm for the project — and Dore + Whittier, which is serving as project manager for the district.

“They’ve done jobs significantly larger than this,” Conry said, “so we’re comfortable moving forward with them.”

The project is expected to remain within its approved budget, although schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter and Conry said construction costs could increase due to potential changes during the building process and winter construction conditions.

“Like the middle school project, something could come up,” Conry said. 

The district also received a $175,000 state budget earmark toward the project.

“We’re in very good shape financially,” Conry said. “I expect we’ll have funds to return. I should say, we won’t use all the funds that were provided by [the Community Preservation Committee].”