Guild School Picked for Civic Center-July 8, 1980

In a decisive move to address the town’s long-standing recreational needs, the Norwood Town Meeting voted on July 07, 1980, to authorize the conversion of the former Aaron Guild School into a new Civic Recreation Center. The project, which is expected to cost approximately $2,350,000, received the support of town meeting members by a vote of 84-48, with $180,000 immediately appropriated for the development of final plans. The repurposing of the 62-year-old school building, which has remained vacant for a year, follows the sale of the town’s old Civic Center—located across the street—to Norwood Hospital for $2 million earlier this past April. The hospital has also tentatively offered the town an additional $250,000 incentive to vacate the old facility by August 1, 1981, ahead of the originally planned date.

The proposal to utilize the Aaron Guild School was championed by Walter J. Grady, whose campaign to override the recommendations of the board of selectmen and the finance commission proved successful. Recreation Superintendent Robert H. Ivatts endorsed the plan as the most viable option given the town’s current financial constraints. The planned facility is ambitious in its scope; the blueprints include a 25-meter swimming pool, saunas, a college-sized basketball court, a social hall, and an auxiliary gymnasium, alongside a senior citizen’s center, game rooms, and indoor recreation spaces. Additionally, the development plan provides for lighted ball fields and a playground at Eliot Park in South Norwood, as well as the construction of four new tennis courts on the east side of town.

The victory for the Grady plan was notable for its direct challenge to the town’s leadership. Selectmen had initially sought only $65,000 to design outdoor athletic facilities, and the majority of the board—with the notable exception of Selectman Mary J. Fox—had expressed concerns regarding the conversion. Selectmen Chairman William J. Plasko, who had long advocated for the construction of a complete new facility at Hennessey Field, congratulated Grady on a “brilliantly executed” campaign, though he cautioned that the decision might not serve the town’s best interests over the coming 50 years. Other critics, such as Stanley J. Wasil, expressed outright opposition to the choice, while some representatives worried that acting too quickly might lead to future regrets.

Despite these warnings, the overwhelming sentiment of the town meeting was one of impatience and readiness to act. Supporters, including neighborhood resident Mary Foley and tennis club president Frank Morrill, argued that Norwood had delayed action on replacing the Civic Center for too long. Robert E. Wohler urged his colleagues to act immediately, citing confidence in the Permanent Building Construction Committee to execute the project effectively. The evening concluded with other administrative actions, including the formal acceptance of numerous new streets and the transfer of the Winslow School to the selectmen for maintenance, effectively closing a major chapter in the town’s ongoing efforts to modernize its municipal and recreational infrastructure.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger