Future Of Veterans Field Uncertain As New London Public Schools Modulars Depart

The use of a New London recreational field as a temporary elementary school site has concluded, but a decision has not yet been made on the future use of the site.

The ModSpace modular units, which served as temporary classrooms during school construction or renovations, have been removed from Veterans Field in recent weeks. The units served students from three different schools in the past decade.

Zak Leavy, executive assistant to Mayor Daryl Finizio, said a final determination has not yet been made on what will be done at Veterans Field.

“Depending on the final decision, it will likely have to go through a combination of offices and/or boards,” he said.

Officials in the New London Public Schools and the parks division of the Department of Public Works deferred comment to Public Works Director Tim Hanser, who also said he was unsure what the future will hold for the site.

“I can’t speak much on the topic of future use of Veterans Field, but the playscape is not scheduled to be transferred to Riverside Park or any other site at this time, and will remain at Veterans Field for the time being,” said Hanser.

The playscape transfer proposal was the topic of some debate earlier this year, as proponents of the transfer said Riverside Park has been overdue for playground equipment since aging equipment was removed from the park. Opponents argued that a transfer should not take place until the completion of a master plan for upgrades at the park. 

In the midst of talks on the issue, the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association offered to include New London in its “Sandy Ground Project,” which builds memorial playgrounds to victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Located adjacent to the former Edgerton School, Veterans Field was subject to soil remediation to remove arsenic and lead contaminants prior to the installation of the modular units. The temporary classrooms housed Jennings School students during the construction of the new school building on Mercer Street.

The modulars next housed Winthrop School students during work to upgrade the Grove Street school building into a science, technology, mathematics, and engineering magnet school. The site also briefly hosted Nathan Hale School students when Winthrop School students were moved into the Nathan Hale School building on Beech Drive prior to the opening of the STEM school.

The need to use modular classrooms ended when the Board of Education voted to consolidate the Nathan Hale School and Harbor School student populations during renovations on the Nathan Hale School to convert it to a visual and performing arts magnet school. The building is scheduled to reopen for the 2013-2014 school year.

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