abass@northstarreporter.com
As the first shovels dug into the soil, Bishop Feehan High School President Tim Sullivan said the construction of the new Arts and Innovation Center will change the lives and experiences of students.
Sullivan addressed school leaders, faculty, students, and supporters at the dig site on June 15 as part of a ceremonial groundbreaking for the 10,000-square-foot center, slated to be open in August 2023.
“The firsts keep coming at Feehan,” said Sullivan. “Our 61-year-old building and campus just keep getting better thanks to the care of so many who have come before us and the support of so many who believe in our future.”
When completed, the building will feature brand new and renovated spaces for the school’s theater, vocal music, and band programs. It also will include entirely new spaces for the school’s growing Business and Innovation Department, with computer science labs, physics labs, an eSports suite, and an expansive IdeaLab (fabrication and testing) featuring a robotics arena and 3-D printing room.
Joining Sullivan for the occasion were Board of Trustees Chair Donna LaMontagne and Daring to Believe Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Kevin Cryan and Dennis Kelly. All three participated in the first digging of the site.
“It’s a privilege for us to represent Feehan and help lead this campaign,” said Cryan and Kelly. “We believe deeply in the mission of the school, and it’s been gratifying to see so many Feehan folks come together to make this amazing project possible. We know this will make Feehan an even stronger school for future generations.”
Daring to Believe is a $13 million capital campaign that began in 2019. The goal is to modernize and transform the school to optimize student achievement. The building of the innovation center is part of this campaign.
Other projects include the Servant Fitness Center, a rock gymnasium, and new locker rooms. There are also plans to renovate Feehan’s McGrath Stadium and Beach Field athletics complex in 2023.
“This investment in the arts and innovation matches exactly the priorities of our 2019 strategic plan,” Sullivan said. “It’s exciting to see it all coming together. ”
