North Catholic High School off to slow start
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More than half of the 245 students at North Catholic High School this year are being bused to the Troy Hill campus from Cranberry.
Those facts -- the low overall enrollment, the long ride and the big percentage of students from Butler County -- underscores the need for an aggressive start on what will be the biggest building project in diocesan history: construction of the new Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, said the Rev. Kris Stubna, education secretary for the diocese.
"We are convinced there is tremendous need and we are anxious to begin construction," Father Stubna said.
That's why diocesan officials are pressing Cranberry to expedite the municipal approval process. "They are telling us they want to move as quickly as they can. They want everything in place to begin grading," said Cranberry planning director Ron Henshaw.
Cranberry supervisors tonight are expected to approve a plan for earth-moving work on a portion of the acreage the diocese owns on the north side of Route 228, across from the St. Kilian church and elementary campus.
Father Stubna acknowledges, however, that his hopes and plans could be undermined by a slow start to fundraising. "We could have to re-evaluate our timeline," he said. The diocese had hoped to open the new school in August 2013, keeping the Troy Hill campus in operation until the Cranberry campus is ready to accept students.
The first phase of the Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic project is a building large enough to accommodate 1,000 students. The cost is estimated at about $62 million. So far, between $5 million and $6 million has been raised, Father Stubna said. About $15 million is needed to begin construction.
He is encouraging supporters of the project to reach into their pockets now.
"We'll have to evaluate where we stand [in the spring]," he said.
In the meantime, the diocese is working with the township to have in place its municipal approvals so building can proceed when the money is in hand.
The first step was a grading plan that would allow site preparation work to begin when the weather is suitable.
Mr. Henshaw said supervisors' approval is likely and the grading permit could be in diocesan hands within two weeks, following several usual administrative steps.
The plan pertains only to a 10- to 15-acre portion of the 68.5-acre property, though. "Basically, they'll be grading the pad where the building will go," Mr. Henshaw said.
A grading permit ultimately will be needed for the entire site, but Mr. Henshaw said some environmental complications, such as a stream on it, will require state review and approval. "They didn't want to have to wait for that to get moving on the building pad," he said.
First Published February 2, 2012 5:40 am
