Letter: Vote Yes for New Greylock

Letter to the Editor10:00AM / Friday, September 27, 2024Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

Following years of hard work by the North Adams School Building Committee, voters in North Adams will decide on Oct. 8 whether to vote "Yes" and have the city move further forward into the 21st century by building a new state-of-the-art Greylock Elementary School, or to vote "No" and keep using the aging and deteriorating Brayton Elementary School.

The state has agreed to fund 80 percent of the project's $65 million cost by ponying up $42.2 million. The federal government will kick in another $3.6 million for energy incentives, leaving North Adams' share at just under $20 million. A YES vote means we get a brand-new school which will be designed to last at least 50 years. It will have brand-new everything (under warranty) saving money in maintenance costs

A No vote means our students will be educated in Brayton School which is already over 30 years old and in need of major renovations including the roof, outdated electrical systems and a need for a new boiler among other issues. Some of the classrooms will be in the subterranean level which is subject to ongoing mold and mildew issues. That school also has no sprinkler system in case of fire.

The costs to keep maintaining Brayton are estimated at $45 million, about the same amount the state and federal government are willing to give us for a brand-new school. Those estimates are likely to increase if maintenance is done on a project-by-project basis over time because costs increase over time. To me, it's a no-brainer. Either we spend $45 million, if not more, to keep Brayton going or we take that same amount from the state and federal government and put it towards a new school.

Those of us who have lived here most of our lives have often felt we're ignored by Boston because we don't get the state aid for things we want to accomplish. Now it's being offered and all we have to do is say Yes.

Join me on Oct. 8 by voting Yes for a new Greylock School. Remember, we can't expect anyone to invest in us unless we first invest in ourselves.

Paul J. Moriarty
North Adams, Mass.

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Urban Legends and Cryptids Come Alive as North Adams Prepares for Mohawk Theater Haunted House

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:27PM / Thursday, October 22, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A spooky and scary night at the Mohawk Theater is approaching fast after local officials decorated it for their annual haunted house.

For the third year in a row the police department, fire department, City Hall, Northern Berkshire EMS, nbCC, Drury High School, American Legion, and 18 Degrees spent hundreds of hours the past few weeks setting up at the former theater.

This year's theme is Urban Legends and Cryptids, with an emphasis on local lore and giving participating groups room to create their own scenes.

Business Manager for the Department of Public Safety Meghan DeLuca showed iBerkshires the setup and what they have been working on.

When you first enter you'll notice the Hoosac Tunnel welcoming you with a train lit up and smoking. The posters on the wall were made by Drury High's digital marketing and media class will give you a sneak peak of what you may encounter when you enter the tunnel.

All of the departments chose a different theme for their space; MCLA welcomes you in detention, the American Legion is putting a twist on Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs, Drury is hosting aliens and another cryptid.

"We're all in here trying to curate the whole entire space because obviously, this is an undertaking. This building is not open to the public currently. I grew up in North Adams my whole entire life until we had the opportunity three years ago to come in here, and we were trying to find a space that was going to work for the haunted house. I'd never been in here, so I think that a lot of the allure is that this is a place that you're not expecting to be able to come into," she said.

DeLuca said planning begins around April, with organizers choosing a theme, confirming which groups will participate, collecting set ideas, and determining what materials are needed. Then setup begins around mid-August, as donated materials arrive and the team builds and adjusts the layout.

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