Grand Haven Area Public Schools (GHAPS) is presenting two new bond proposals to voters on November 7, 2023. Proposal 1 includes building a new middle school and proposal 2 includes a multi-purpose building. Community members have expressed concerns over the future plans for Lakeshore Middle School. According to the survey report prepared by King Media to examine why the May 2, 2023 proposal failed, “As it relates to future bond proposals, the community wants to see more diligence and planning, especially as it relates to Lakeshore Middle School. They want to see details about the long-term vision for the district, taking into account projected enrollment and population growth. They want clear connections between the district’s priorities and the elements of bond proposals, with a special emphasis on how the projects impact students.”
During recent GHAPS board meetings, Superintendent Scott Grimes has explained the district’s plans for Lakeshore Middle School. To me his statements seem inconsistent, seem to contradict one another, and give me the impression the district does not have a clear plan for the future of Lakeshore Middle School.
“We as a district, and I think the board agrees, that we keep Lakeshore property as a central future school district use, and in the mean time we make it more green space. So that the community can use it in various capacities. What that looks like, we’re not 100% sure, but certainly we’re going to keep it as a green space and we will only use it this time until, if and when the district wants to put maybe an elementary there, because it’s a far better spot for an elementary than it is a middle or a high school. A preschool building; the central office someday? But certainly, we’re going to keep it until we find a school district use for it.”
“So, we are vowing to keep that property now, and not do anything with it unless, we want to make sure we keep it because it’s a valuable piece of property, and we might need it for future school district use.”
“With that, we plan to keep that property; not do anything with it. Probably allow kids, families to use the field that’s there for soccer, lacrosse, football, whatever it is going forward, because it’s a nice spot for them to do that. They play soccer out there right now. So, we can allow that to keep happening. So, we’re planning to keep it.”
“Keeping Lakeshore with the other proposal. Because we have money in the budget, to raze the building, if necessary, and we aren’t in a hurry to do that but, if somebody came forward, and we need to use it as a district, or some other place we wanted to use it temporarily, or rent it or whatever, we can certainly look at that. We still are saying we are going to keep that.”
“Our proposal includes recommending we keep Lakeshore Middle school property for future school district use and that would include for now taking the building down and creating green space. And then as part of future planning, talked about how we could potentially use that for the district.”
“For green space and taking the building down it’s approximately $1.8 to $1.9 million.”
“Yeah, I think there's a fear in the community about what will go there, right? And what we want is what they want. And when you don’t know what it's going to be I think some people create their own story, right? People do create their own story and say things like apartments… And say less desirable things, but that certainly is not our intention whatsoever I think…”
“I mean, it's probably more appropriate for a central office building if we ever decide that and we sell this property. It’s more appropriate for making a preschool building or an elementary school. Not a bigger, greater school for sure. Just not a great site that. We've been dealing with it for 70 years, right? It’s never really good parking material, drop off, pick-ups not great.”
So, the community asked for clear vision and they wanted to understand what would happen to Lakeshore. Do you feel Superintendent Grimes’ statements provided sufficient clarity?