What will be the size of the new building?
The Board has deployed a Management Committee similar to the one deployed in the early 2000’s when initially building the existing West 5th Campus. This committee will be working in tandem with the Building Committee and its chosen architect to envision the details for the proposed campus. At this point the plan is to build a similar size to the West 5th Campus (approximately 25 - 35k square feet), in phases over a number of years.
What will be the cost of the project?
As design plans for the building are determined by the Management Committee, the Building Committee will be working with its designated building contractor and vendors to confirm the cost. At this point, the preliminary high-level estimate for the first phase of building is approximately $5 - $7 million.
What will be the enrollment capacity of the new school?
Based on feedback from the CCS community in our 2019 Market Study and our 2020 Phase 1 Discovery Research, it is clear that the community wants us to offer a full elementary school program at the Unity Site (Jk to Grade 8 - Full classes) which will translate to a capacity of about ~250 students. The first phase is intended to grow the Unity campus capacit to approximately 180 students. This, combined with our existing capacity at West 5th, will provide a total capacity of ~750 students, which aligns with demand projections based on Greater Hamilton Area population growth. Additional specialty classrooms are part of the vision for the campus which could provide additional future capacity if/when needed.
When will the new building be ready?
The Management Committee will be managing the construction plan and timeline commensurate with cash inflows from the Capital Campaign. That said, the community has expressed a strong desire to build ASAP, and so we will be looking to expedite the build as soon as possible, with occupancy by 2027 (or sooner). In the meantime, the existing building at Unity will continue to operate to satisfy immediate enrollment demand growth as best possible.
Is there $5 million out there?
YES, our community has demonstrated the capacity to give in aggregate to this level, and now it is time for everyone to lean in as far as possible and chip in toward this highly important Kingdom work.
Will $5 million cover the whole project cost?
NO, and we plan to use long-term mortgage financing to pay for the balance of the first phase of the project, recognizing that multiple generations will be using the facility, and one single generation shouldn’t be required to bear the whole cost.
Will my donation really matter?
YES! We have fully entrusted this project to God, and He is in complete control as we undertake to build this school to fulfill our calling in His kingdom work. Therefore, your donation will be a practical investment in this work, shining light to multiple future generations in the Greater Hamilton Area and ultimately across Canada as our students graduate and migrate abroad. While we pray to have several significant donations to help underwrite the project, the truth is that every single donation counts! The good news is that over 3000 families have been blessed by the school since 1952. With some quick math, If every one of these families chipped in $2k, our target would be surpassed by a million dollars!
