Appleton area Catholic HS getting new $4.7 million fine arts facility

TOWN OF MENASHA — An influential group of Neenah-Menasha businessmen is paving the way for the construction of a $4.7 million fine arts facility at St. Mary Central High School.

The Twin City Catholic Educational System announced today that it will build a 22,000-square-foot addition on the school's campus that will feature a 495-seat auditorium, a 96-seat forensics theater and state-of-the-art sound, lighting and production equipment. In addition, four new interactive electronic classrooms will be added to St. Mary Central.

The project is expected to be completed and operational by April 2013.

"The goal is to provide a superb, comprehensive educational experience for the youth of our community," said Dick Bergstrom of Bergstrom Corp., a strong supporter of Catholic education in Neenah-Menasha. "We've been working on this behind the scenes and it finally came to a conclusion early last month."

Bergstrom is one of five businessmen who raised $2 million in matching gifts for the project. The other members of the campaign leadership team are John Bergstrom and John Hogerty of Bergstrom Corp., Mike McClone of McClone Insurance Group and David Voss of Miron Construction Co.

A fundraising drive will generate the remaining $2.7 million for the addition.

The fine arts center has the support of Bishop David Ricken of the Green Bay Diocese, TCCES-affiliated parishes and the TCCES Board of Education.

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