Cape Elizabeth community invited to building forum

CAPE ELIZABETH – The School Building Advisory Committee extended an invitation to all Cape Elizabeth residents to attend a public forum on Thursday, Feb. 1. The event, scheduled for 6 p.m. at town hall, will showcase seven conceptual design options for the town’s schools.

The advisory committee, in collaboration with Harriman Architects, aims to engage the community in a “transparent and inclusive process” regarding the future of Cape Elizabeth’s educational infrastructure. The public forum will feature a presentation unveiling seven preliminary design options for the three schools in the town.

The forum, according to organizers, will provide an opportunity for residents, including parents, teachers, students, and concerned citizens, to witness the possibilities firsthand. The input gathered during the community feedback session will be instrumental in narrowing down the options to three preferred choices and ultimately selecting the final supported option.

Lisa Sawin of Harriman Architects, on behalf of the advisory committee on Jan. 18, outlined the steps involved in the decision-making process. The steps include data collection, presentation of seven options, identification of three preferred options, selection of a supported option, and a subsequent referendum vote.

“We are getting input from the community on the process along the way,” Sawin said. “We have completed the data collection.”

The Feb. 1 forum will include the presentation of options that range from repairs and efficiency upgrades to renovations, outdoor learning play areas, a new middle school, a new elementary school, or a combination of a new elementary and middle school.

For those unable to attend the forum in person, the event will be livestreamed on Zoom and via CETV. Upcoming forums are also scheduled for April 4 and June 6. Those forums are expected to focus on the presentation of preferred options and the final supported option, respectively.