Julie M. Cohen
Town officials honored the memory of a fallen World War II soldier on Dec. 18, simultaneously marking the start of a final phase of the new high school project.
Members of the fire and police departments, as well as veterans and others, gathered for a brief, rain-drenched ceremony on Monday outside of the James Paul White Field House to remember its namesake ahead of the building’s demolition. The group also honored the sacrifices made by the 83 other Belmont soldiers who died in World War II.
Police Chief James MacIsaac praised White’s academic and athletic accomplishments at Belmont High School as he spoke to attendees outside of the Concord Avenue building.
The 19-year-old resident was killed in action almost 79 years ago on Dec. 21, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, MacIsaac said. On May 30, 1948, more than 1,000 people came to the dedication of the field house that bore his name.
Bill Lovallo, chairman of the Belmont Middle and High School Building Committee, said demolishing the building was one of the last pieces of the new high school project.
In deteriorating condition and not accessible to those with mobility challenges, Lovallo said the field house had become obsolete. In 2018, the town approved removing it, and in less than three hours Monday, Skanska USA demolished the structure at a cost of $350,000, he said.
Before it was taken down, 10-year-old lockers were salvaged and will be used in the new ice skating rink that Lovallo said should be completed in late 2024.
Although he does not know if another building will be named after White, Lovallo said officials may incorporate the bronze dedication plaque from the field house inside the new ice rink.
In 2018, Belmont voters approved a debt exclusion to pay for the $295 million middle and high school project. The state will reimburse the town with a grant of $80.6 million. Work on the project was completed in August, 2023.
Learn more about the Belmont Middle and High School Project at the committee’s website.
