On Wednesday, April 17, supporters of the Montgomery
Catholic Preparatory School’s capital campaign, “Building on Faith, Family and
Tradition,” turned out at the future site of center court in the
nearly-completed gym at the main campus for a “Sign the Slab” event. Over 100
faculty, alumni, parents, and supporters gathered to sign their names and write
prayers and messages of encouragement and congratulations on the foundation
that will be the new home for Montgomery Catholic athletics.
Anne Ceasar, President of Montgomery Catholic, had a very
personal reason to give thanks for this new building. “As a parent of three
graduates of MCPS who had many remarkable experiences in the Father Pat
Delahunty Gym, I am thrilled that our new facility will be the venue for future
occasions for our students.”
Among those who came to sign the slab was Dean Delongchamp,
the first Athletic Director to serve at Montgomery Catholic. During his tenure
as AD in the early 1990s, he dreamed of a larger gym with more seating for fans
to watch their teams. While he knew that the current construction was going to
be an improvement, he was not prepared for what he experienced.
“I was stunned,” said Delongchamp. “I knew that we were
building a gym, but I wasn’t expecting an entire fieldhouse equipped with
offices, conference space, laundry, weight training, and rehabilitation
facilities. It’s unbelievable what they’ve put together.”
“I’m so glad that we could show this off to our community,”
said Aubrey Blackwell, head coach for both football and baseball. “This will be
one of the best facilities in the state of Alabama and absolutely the premier
facility in Montgomery. We’re looking forward to our students using all of the
amenities we’re equipping.”
Also present was the Reverend Monsignor Charles Troncale, an
ardent supporter of Catholic education who has seen tremendous growth at MCPS since
the time when he worked there in the early 1970s.
“I congratulate the Catholic community of Montgomery on
their efforts to make this seemingly impossible project a reality,” said
Troncale about the construction. “It is through the sacrificial attitude of the
supporters of Montgomery Catholic that this has been possible, and I look
forward to the great things that will come from this facility.”
Lainie Cleghorn, a Montgomery Catholic alumna and parent of
a graduate and current student, also spoke to the enthusiasm and commitment of
the MCPS community.
“This project came to life much faster than any of us had
ever imagined that it would,” said Cleghorn, who served on the strategic
planning committee that worked on this building project. “Supporters of
Montgomery Catholic recognized that the new gym and new performing arts
facility are needs and not wants for this school, and they rallied together to
make it happen.”
The capital campaign raised over $3.5 million dollars in
just eleven months, allowing MCPS to look towards the future and realize the
dream of a new 33,000 square foot gymnasium with stadium seating and capacity
for over 800. The gym will have two regulation basketball courts, a weight
room, concession area, offices, locker rooms, and conference rooms. The
Montgomery community will find much comfort in knowing that the facility will
be air conditioned—a luxury the current Fr. Pat Delahunty Gym, which was built
in 1968, does not have.
Following the completion of the new gym, the Fr. Pat
Delahunty Gym will be converted into a performing arts building, dedicated to
elevating the entire MCPS performing arts program. This facility will be
completely remodeled to create state-of-the-art band and choral/drama
classrooms, practice rooms, office space, and storage for the award-winning
band program and emerging choral and drama program. This will allow for
students to be able to focus on all aspects of their practice by providing a
vibrant and supportive environment for current and future students with an
affinity for the performing arts. Also, the addition of a high school student
lounge and meeting space facing the courtyard will give students a comfortable place
to gather on campus.
