At the School Committee meeting on Dec. 17, the condition of the lot used for parking across the street from the Block Island School sparked a larger conversation about the future use of the lot, which has been eyed as a possible location for employee housing or community center.
School Committee member Annie Hall said that the vacant lot across from the school is being “regularly torn up” by vehicles parked there by students, parents and others. Superintendent Michael Convery said that Mike Shea, the town’s highways supervisor, told the school administration that the uneven lot needs more than gravel to make it suitable for parking.
The outgoing Town Manager saw a larger question in Hall’s observation. From the audience, Ed Roberge recommended that the school and the town work together to address parking concerns as part of a “comprehensive planning strategy” for the future use of the land.
“If the town ever does anything with that property,” he said, “where are all the cars going to go?”
“They will park on the street,” School Committee Chair William Padien replied.
Roberge suggested that the School Building
