For the opening of the new fine arts wing at Port Coquitlam's Archbishop Carney regional secondary last month, the school put on a show to remember.
Father Patrick Chisholm, the episcopal vicar for Catholic schools, was accompanied by a dozen priests for a blessing that included sprinkling of holy water inside the new facility. His words and actions could be seen on a screen by the 300-plus people in the adjoining gymnasium - thanks to camera on Chisholm.
There were also speeches (including from the city's mayor, Greg Moore, past principal Peter Dawe and the superintendent of Catholic independent schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese), a prayer service, a concert (with students and alumni singing and playing music) and, of course, an official ribbon cutting.
And afterward, participants feasted on a cake that was designed to look like a model of the new fine arts wing. "It was such a wonderful event," principal Lorraine Paruzzolo said during a tour of the building.
The smell of fresh paint is still prominent and staff like Evelyn Young, the fine arts department head, and choir master Emmanuella Triveri are in awe with their 6,200-sq. ft. accessible digs that replaced a cramped, double-wide portable.
Now, there is room to store equipment and instruments plus practice areas, a media arts computer place and enough space to hang their awards from festivals around North America. There are also state-of-the-art technology and projectors for teachers to lead the 200-plus music students in Grades 8 to 12 (about 40% of the student body is in at least one fine arts class at Carney).
Best of all, said Triveri, the rooms are sound-proof so she can conduct her choirs upstairs without hearing the bands play below.
Paruzzolo also is proud to point out the new fine arts annex came in "on time and on budget" - not an easy feat for a construction project. Conception and fundraising started a decade ago, she said, with the community raising the necessary $2.1 million to build the wing. Over the years, special collections have been taken at regional feeder Catholic parishes and schools and annual galas have been held to get the structure built.
Paruzzolo said the current push is to raise money for on-going costs such as sheet music, instruments and other furnishings. A legacy wall is up to recognize donors on a bronze, silver or gold "note" level.
