NAPLES – SAD 61 voters overwhelmingly approved a $13.8 million school construction bond on Tuesday, with 64 percent of the voters in the district supporting the measure.

The four towns comprising SAD 61 – Bridgton, Naples, Sebago and Casco – each gave strong support to the project, slated to begin next summer.

“We feel absolutely great,” said Lake Region High School Principal Roger Lowell. “It’s nice to know we have such overwhelming support from the community. We’re all walking around with our heads in the clouds, this is so huge.”

Lowell said he can see the “light at the end of the tunnel” now that the Lakes Region High School and adjacent vocational center are set for reconstruction and expansion.

“The first move will be to build the new bus garage and vocational building, that’ll probably happen next fall,” Lowell said.

In Bridgton, 1,441 approved the project with 716 rejecting it. Naples voters approved the project 1,083 to 590. Casco voted 984 to 566 in support of the project. The vote in Sebago was narrower with 469 approving the project compared to 339 rejecting. In all, the measure passed with 64 percent. Throughout the district, 3,977 voted in support and 2,211 rejected the proposal.

Many voters exiting the Naples poll on Tuesday were in favor of the school construction project.

Malissa Moore attended Lake Region High School and wants to see it improved.

“It’s going to affect my children. It’s an old building and it’s been there since my dad went to school, I went there, so it’s time,” she said.”

Joanne Robbins was another Naples voter who approved the $13.8 million bond. “We need it. The school is very old. And while I hate to see taxes go up, we need it. The kids need it,” she said.

Richard Hanson, also of Naples, voted likewise. “I’m a tradesman myself so I think it’d be good if they could do more for the trades around here,” he said.

Naples resident Noel Watson, reflecting the reason 46 percent of SAD 61 residents voted against the project, said. “It’s a lot money. Maybe we should wait until next year to approve it,” he said.

An aerial rendering of proposed renovations to Lake Region High School shows expansion at the front of the building with areas for parking, drop-off zones and building additions. On Tuesday, voters in SAD 61 approved a $13.4 million bond to complete the renovations. (Couresty image)