Christian school taking shape at new site

GUELPH Local dad Rob Pyper has a deep connection to the Guelph Community Christian School.

I went to the school as a child, Pyper said Saturday as he joined other volunteers in helping extensively renovate the schools new home, the former College Avenue Public School.

The half-century-old religious school is relocating from Waterloo Avenue to larger space as it grows in size and scope.

Pyper and spouse Alison Pyper have four children, two of whom, Sarah and Samuel, currently attend while the younger Leah and Noah will join the student body once theyre old enough.

Pyper had several reasons why he enjoyed the school he went to as a child, where families play an integral role as school community volunteers. (It was) the sense of community . . . knowing the families, the values. You get a real sense the kids are cared for, he said.

On a tour of the non-denominational school under renovation Saturday, parent and businessman Daryl Holmes noted the old location, which has been sold to the Muslim Society of Guelph, has 13,000 square feet compared to the new one which will be 38,000 square feet triple the size.

The Christian school, with more than 120 families, serves 235 students kindergarten to Grade 8. The first school year at the sprawling new 10-acre site is slated for September.

Dozens of volunteers have put in 800 man-hours of work to date, though the work also receives a boost from a project management firm and other contractors.

The surplus site was bought for $3.1 million from the Upper Grand District School Board, with renovations to cost $2 million, all the money garnered through fundraising, volunteers said. Work began last October.

The redevelopment project will retain and enhance the flavour of the architecture, notably a butterfly-style angled front roof portion that will be kept and mimicked elsewhere in the structure. Attractive existing wood-finish features are also to be retained, the gymnasium ceiling, for example.

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Christian school taking shape at new site