Merrill Middle School PC: Fox 11 Online
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The land on which Merrill Middle School sits will soon become an athletic field for Oshkosh-area schools and the community.
On Tuesday night, the city’s Common Council voted to approve rezoning the land in order to turn it into an athletic field for Vel Phillips Middle School.
Haywood Ransom, who lives across the street from the now-shuttered school, says he supports the plan.
“Keeping the kids here and everything and giving them a safe place to do their thing,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing. Not a bad thing at all.”
Council Member Joe Stephenson re-introduced the previously denied re-zoning. He said the district made changes he wanted to bring to the council’s attention.
“We are allowing an overlay district to allow for an athletic facility there, so it would allow for track and field, a basketball court, some shotput stuff, a center kind of green space,” he said.
“I do think it’s going to be an asset for Vel Phillips and I’m hoping it’s also going to be an asset for the neighborhood,” Stephenson added.
Stephenson clarified the re-zoning and design plan is not indicative of whether Merrill will be torn down. The Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education has voted to demolish Merrill, with no plans to sell the property for potential development.
Common Council member Paul Esslinger, who voted against rezoning the site, says the land could be used for housing.
“We could’ve put it on the tax rolls and had millions of dollars in assessed value, which we also desperately need,” he said. “We could’ve helped with our housing deficiency.”
Ransom thinks otherwise.
“I always said don’t tear it down, you know? Or if you’re going to tear it down, don’t put no apartments up, you know what I mean? Let’s do something that’s going to benefit the community,” he said.
Other plans for the Merrill site include a memorial commemorating the school’s namesake, James Merrill; Henry Auler, the architect who designed the school; and Harold Schumerth, a beloved teacher and football coach.
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