GTACS Capital Campaign

On Tuesday, February 16, City Commissioners will consider our request for a partial street abandonment as part of our proposed new elementary school construction project.

The proposed plan hinges on the vacation of the portions of Second and Vine Streets that bisect the Church-owned property. The street sections would be replaced by a right of way north of the parish rectory to connect Cedar and Randolph Streets.

• The road shift is integral to the proposed site plan which provides for an early elementary campus not bisected by city streets or drive aisles
• The configuration of buildings and parking allows for the efficient utilization of the Church-owned property, thus providing for the modernization of an in-town elementary school without additional property acquisitions
• Neither Vine nor Second Streets are through streets; those impacted by the change will primarily be school- or church-going motorists
• New school traffic flow options should result in less congestion on the city streets during pick up and drop off times
• The proposed plan allows for a large, grassy playground which will become an asset to the community
• The owners of the nearby Sleder’s Restaurant and Zany’s Consignment Shop (the Cairns) are satisfied with the proposed plan as it relates to their businesses

If you are a city resident or business owner, please consider voicing your support at the upcoming meeting, which begins at 7:00 pm in the Governmental Center. The opportunity to speak comes after the presentation of the proposal, and there is a 5-minute time limit per person.

If you cannot attend but wish to lend your support, please email CityCommissioners@traversecitymi.gov.

Thank you for helping us advance our mission for continuing excellence in Catholic education for our community.

Questions? Contact Wayne Mueller at Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.

Throughout the decades, visionary leaders such as Father Kohler, Monsignor Passeno, and Monsignor Thome have worked to build a foundation for excellence in Catholic education – one that has served us well until today.

Now, some of our facilities no longer meet the demands of the day. The time has come to once again make a significant investment in our Catholic schools.

The “Our Faith, Our Future, Our Time” capital campaign was formally launched in 2015.  The purpose is to fund a 10-year facilities improvement plan.  Ultimately, $20 million will need to be invested in two primary projects:

• Construction of a new, Preschool through 5th Grade facility at the Immaculate Conception Campus
• Remodeling of the St. Francis High School Campus

Fifty investors have already committed more than $5 million to the “Our Faith, Our Future, Our Time”  campaign.  Over 60 volunteers are actively working on a variety of committees.  This is an exciting time in the history of the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools!

If you have an interest in becoming a partner in this vital effort – with your financial support, your prayers, or your expertise –  please contact the Director of Advancement, Wayne Mueller at (231) 995-8428 (business) or 231-313-0381 (cell) or wmueller@gtacs.org.

Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools (GTACS) is a parochial school system and a ministry of five local parishes: Christ the King, Immaculate Conception, St. Francis, St. Joseph and St. Patrick along with the Diocese of Gaylord.

These five parishes sacrifice greatly on behalf of our students and our schools so that, in combination with the parish and the family, we can form young hearts and minds for discipleship. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our five parishes, the Catholic community, and faithful citizens in our region and beyond.