This is a photograph of Gus Anderson Field at McDowell High School on April 17. Photo by JACK HANRAHAN/

Last month, amid a lot of hoopla, the Millcreek school board voted to spend $94 million on a new school complex. Plans are getting underway with scheduling construction. Read Sean McCracken’s complete coverage of the timeline here.

The plan to knock down a high school and raise up a new athletic field is on deck, but the field comes first. And the devil is in the details. The current Gus Anderson stadium has six lanes which means the school cannot host any major PIAA track events. Architect Chris Coughlin, of Hallgren, Restifo, Loop & Coughlin Architects, said the pricetag will boost another $250,000 in construction costs by installing eight rather than six lanes.

Right now, Harbor Creek High School, which has an eight-lane track, hosts the District 10 track and field championships. The event brings in athletes, parents and patrons from a lot of schools. Track meets include admission fees and concessions. As a track mom, I know this is big money.

In Millcreek, board members Ron Wilga, Judy Wheaton, Terry Scutella and John DiPlacido favor a six-lane track, and Brian Kramer favors eight lanes, according to McCracken’s article.

There is a special meeting tonight at the Millcreek Education Center, 3740 West 26th St., from 6 to 8 p.m. I’m not sure if they are discussing the field or the track, but they face some important issues.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

This is a photograph of Gus Anderson Field at McDowell High School on April 17. Photo by JACK HANRAHAN/

Last night’s Millcreek school board meeting brought in a crowd, and the vote is in. The plan is to demolish McDowell High School and merge with an enlarged McDowell Intermediate for a total cost of more than $110 million, but the story won’t end here. It’s the beginning of an event that will take years to complete.

We have six McDowell graduates in our family, and they are watching this drama unfold. While people on all sides are very passionate about their opinions, we all need to remember who is watching — on Facebook and all the media sites.

I joined and liked all the Facebook pages to see comments, and I agree with a little of what both sides have to say. We need better facilities. I think everyone agrees on that. And we need better communication in Millcreek. Here’s what I hope for next:

Respect. Just plain old respect and for both sides to be civil. Some comments and statements I’ve seen on Facebook have become personal attacks, and that just shouldn’t happen. I’m hoping that the next steps can include listening and that we all learn a lesson and teach a lesson to our kids that we can disagree, but we can do it without name-calling and personal insults. We have years ahead of us for this school transition to take place, and thousands of students will be living through it. Our kids need to feel good about their school and community.

Pam Parker is the parent of three and stepmom of three — all graduates of McDowell High School. Pam is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Last night’s Millcreek school board meeting brought in a crowd to listen to  Stantec Architecture outline three basic options before the board, and thanks to Jim Martin of the Erie Times-News for summarizing them:

- Renovate McDowell High School and McDowell Intermediate for a total cost of $98.9 million

- Demolish McDowell High School for $5 a square foot and merge with an enlarged McDowell Intermediate for a total cost of $98.3 million

- Demolish the high school and build a larger addition to McDowell Intermediate for a total cost of $110.5 million.

Read Jim Martin’s entire article here. Link to the architect’s July 9 report on the McDowell web site.

For more reading, Facebook opinion pages now include:

https://www.facebook.com/supportMcDowellconsolidation

https://www.facebook.com/no.mcdowell

https://www.facebook.com/McDowellProject?ref=ts

The deadline for state funding is Oct. 2, although state funding will pay only 10 percent of the total cost of the renovation.

Read Jim Martin’s entire article here.  He can be reached at 870-1668 or by e-mail.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

MTSD school board meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at the Education Center. Here is the district Facebook page www.facebook.com/mcdowellproject.

Here is the  No New McDowell group www.facebook.com/no.mcdowell

Monday — MTSD school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center. Here is the district Facebook page www.facebook.com/mcdowellproject. About 71 people like the page.

Wednesday, June 27, and every Wednesday in July at 7 p.m. –  No New McDowell group www.facebook.com/no.mcdowell, which has 341 people who like the page, will meet at the West Ridge South Fire Station at Sterrettania and Grubb roads. No meeting July 4.
Thursday — MTSD school board meeting 7 p.m. at the Education Center. This is the formal board meeting where you must request time to speak. Call ahead at 814-835-5300.

There are now 11 different presentations on the Millcreek Township School District website for plans to consolidate McDowell and the intermediate school into one building with the demolition of McDowell included in the plans. Sean McCracken, of the Erie Times-News, notes the project, which includes the construction of a new Gus Anderson Field on the east side of Caughey Road, is estimated to cost between $98 million and $104 million.

Here are updates on the McDowell consolidation issue:

The school board has a link to a new report and second opinion from Stantec — a presentation that took place June 11. Here’s the link. There are now 11 different presentations on the Millcreek Township School District website. Here’s a link to all of them. Sean McCracken, in a Tuesday article in the Erie Times-News, notes the project, which includes the construction of a new Gus Anderson Field on the east side of Caughey Road, is estimated to cost between $98 million and $104 million.

Pam Parker is an award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.