
GNBVT Students Defend Their Work Quality for Fairhaven High Shed
What started as a simple construction project of a shed adjacent to the Fairhaven High School football field has turned into a rollercoaster ride. The never ending Fairhaven High School shed project still sits unfinished. Unfortunately for the students, the project seems as if it's going to get harder to complete before it gets any easier.
On January 7, the building commissioner for the Town of Fairhaven was ordered by the zoning board to revoke the permit that had already been granted to the school. The decision came after some neighbors complained about the shed, calling it "unsafe" and an "eyesore" in front of the historic building.
After it became apparent that the shed was necessary, Fairhaven High School turned to Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech students to design and build the structure. It had to be built on a tight budget, so getting free help from students seemed like a great option for both parties. The school got free labor, while the students gained valuable experience. That experience, however, has left a sour taste in the mouths of some recent Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech graduates.
Aydin Afonso, one of the GNBVT seniors who designed the structure and started its construction before it was halted, is now an architecture major at Northeastern University in Boston. He told Fun 107 that he was not happy to see some of the school's neighbors calling his hard work an "eyesore."
"I understand that I'll never create something that everyone will like, but I'm not going to lie—it hurt to read that headline on the Standard-Times website. Our class worked hard on that. We're all pretty disappointed by the reaction of the town," Afonso said. He also reminded everyone that the project had a very small budget. "We did the best we could with the limited funds we had."
Neighbors say they are concerned that the structure blocks the view of Route 6 as drivers attempt to pull out of the high school. The zoning board took the complaints seriously enough to order the building permit to be revoked.
"There are probably some issues with the project, but I'm only doing what I'm supposed to do," said Fairhaven Building Commissioner, Rick Forand. "I enforce what they tell me to enforce." Forand emphasized that he does not have any personal ties to the zoning board. "I don't know any of these people whatsoever. I don't know the people on the zoning board—not any of them."
Fairhaven Superintendent of Schools, Tara Kohler, says the town's actions have left her with no options. She was particularly upset by the disrespect shown to the Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech students. "There were comments in meetings about (the shed project) that questioned why we didn't get a 'real person' to come up with the architectural plans—comments about how the shed was designed by kids and 'no wonder it's all messed up.'"
Kohler says the winning proposal, designed by then Voc student Aydin Afonso, was presented to the school's architect to ensure it met standards. "Other than a few little tweaks, everything looked great. Aydin should be super proud and happy that his design was chosen. He should be able to drive by the building and show his friends and family for the next few decades."
Instead, Afonso and his classmates have been left shrugging their shoulders at what seems to them like petty, small-town politics.
After working with four building inspectors and having the appropriate building permit since the fall of 2023, Kohler says she is feeling frustrated for both Fairhaven High School and the students from Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech.
"I feel for these kids that are once again going to graduate without finishing this project in Fairhaven," Kohler said. "And they're going to learn. These kids will go off to Northeastern and become construction professionals, and they're going to learn, 'Don't build anything in Fairhaven.'"
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