Donation to Allow Westminster To Use Princeton High Facilities

Candace Braun

Princeton Regional School Board recently entered into an agreement with neighboring Westminster Choir College that will allow the college to use Princeton High School facilities in exchange for a donation of $222,500.

The Board unanimously passed the agreement with Westminster at its Tuesday, August 24 meeting. A music conservatory that is part of Rider University, Westminster will have access to any of the high school's facilities for up to 25 days per year for the next 20 years. The main purpose of the agreement, however, is to give the college access to Princeton's new auditorium, said the Board's Walter Bliss.

The construction plan for the new auditorium was first upgraded in January after donations totalling $1 million were received from two donors. Westminster's donation will be used to enhance the quality of the new auditorium even further, by paying for the orchestra pit.

Mr. Bliss said he was not completely satisfied with the agreement because it did not give the high school any kind of access to student parking at the college. Citing "good faith," however, he expected that it would "establish a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties, centered around the performing arts."

School Board President Anne Burns said she spoke to the college three weeks ago, and was told that it intends to create a 40-space temporary parking lot for the upcoming school year at a cost of $50,000. The lot can only remain temporary for one year, however, she added, and it is unlikely that the college would spend an additional $200,000 to create a permanent lot.

Westminster is only seeking to have additional parking for its students while Princeton High is under construction, said Ms. Burns.

She said she has still not ruled out the possibility that the college will be willing to share the lot with the high school: "I'm encouraged that we may be able to work something out."