CHICOPEE – The Anna E. Barry Elementary School on 44 Connell St. continues to host students despite numerous code issues with the building. In an effort to reinvent the school, the City Council approved the school administration’s application submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) during their April 19 meeting.

The school, which opened in 1963, remains a problem property for the Chicopee School Department over the years. The City Council and School Committee hosted a joint Special Meeting on March 14 to tour the decaying space and assess its future.

In his presentation of the item, Mayor John Vieau cited numerous issues with the space, including a sprinkler system that is not up to current code, an excess of asbestos that requires removal, single-pane windows that need replacements and outdated facilities.

“Barry School is a very antiquated and inefficient building. It has been deemed by our Maintenance Director [Scott Chapdelaine] that it could be necessary to replace this school building…Frankly, it needs replacement, renovation and modernization for a lot of facility systems,” said Vieau, who referenced the school’s inefficient electrical power, lighting and boiler systems.

The mayor also highlighted several inaccessible points within the school, such as the gymnasium located on the third floor. Other facets of the space, like the classroom unit-ventilators, cannot be upgraded in their current condition.

Vieau shared that he and the School Department are submitting their application to see what support the district can receive from the MSBA. “The request is for the City Council to endorse this request to the MSBA to see what type of support we can get,” said Vieau.

The City Council expressed united support for the application. Ward 1 City Councilor Joel McAuliffe thanked the School Committee and Acting Superintendent Alvin Morton for submitting the application, stating that the submission represents a crucial first step in creating a new school.

“It’s a significant investment the community here is going to have to make, but there is also a significant reimbursement rate Chicopee would qualify for…Whatever this council decides, and I do think it will be unanimous support, will send a clear message to the MSBA that we’re serious about tackling this significant project,” said McAuliffe, who shared that a new school would mark the first elementary school constructed in the district since the 1970’s.

Ward 9 City Councilor Mary-Elizabeth Pniak-Costello considered the application “a big moment” for the city, stating that issues with Anna E. Barry were noted across different superintendent administrations. The councilor argued that a new facility with MSBA support would likely be cheaper than an extensive renovation project.

“Since the closing of Westover in March of 1973, we haven’t had a brand-new elementary school in the City of Chicopee…This is not spending or wasting money, its investing money,” said Pniak-Costello.

Ward 3 City Councilor Delmarina López considered the building “beyond repair” and “basically inhabitable,” while Ward 4 City Councilor George Balakier stressed that it would be best for everyone to embrace a new school proposal.

The City Council approved the MSBA application submission in a unanimous vote.

Prior to the meeting, Vieau detailed the city’s reasonings for the MSBA submission in a discussion with Reminder Publishing. While the mayor noted that Chapdelaine and his team continue to maintain a “very clean school,” he viewed it as the right time to see what support the city could receive for the construction of a new school.

Between his time as mayor and in the City Council, Vieau expressed that MSBA reimbursements continue to be beneficial for the district. Dupont Middle School, Chicopee Comprehensive High School and Chicopee High School received significant support from the MSBA, with the latter school receiving as much as 90 percent reimbursement for the total expenses.

“We are excited to move forward with this process,” said Vieau.