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Wednesday, September 27, 2006
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Exciting day for CLC Ground broken on projects at Brainerd, Staples campuses Staff Writer Central Lakes College celebrated the impending start of two building projects totaling $6 million with groundbreaking ceremonies at both campuses Tuesday.
"This is an exciting day for our college," CLC president Larry Lundblad said at Tuesday's ceremony at the Brainerd campus.
The Legislature in 2005 approved the construction of a $1.1 million music rehearsal hall addition at the Brainerd campus and a $4.9 million heavy equipment maintenance facility at the West Staples Campus.
The 4,500-square-foot addition at the Brainerd campus will include a stepped rehearsal area, practice rooms, instrument storage and offices. Construction is expected to start in early 2007 with completion sometime next fall. The project allows CLC to offer increased seating for music recitals in a quality acoustic environment for music students. It will free up more space for additional practice room space for students, including small ensembles. The music program has experienced a 55 percent enrollment increase in the past five years, according to CLC officials.
"This is a little overwhelming, seeing this all come together after all this time," said Steve Anderson, CLC instrumental music faculty member.
Anderson said the addition will double the size of the music department. The new rehearsal hall will comfortably hold 76 people, which will allow the music department to host its own performances there, giving the theater department back their much needed auditorium space for performances. He said he has about 50 members of the community band who began performing Monday night and they were "shoulder-to-shoulder" in the current rehearsal hall.
Anderson performed two musical selections with a CLC jazz combo at Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony at the Brainerd campus. Michelle Sakry-Winkelman, CLC choral music faculty member, provided choral selections with the CLC Chamber Singers.
Sakry-Winkelman credited retired CLC president Sally Ihne for building the music program at CLC. She said the department in 1990 offered only three classes when she and Anderson began teaching here but now offers 15 courses.
Ground also was broken on the Staples West Campus site for the 30,000-square-foot heavy equipment operations and maintenance shop. The project, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2008, will include nine high-bay spaces for equipment repair with remodeling of 7,000 square feet of vacated shop space. While the heavy equipment program is now split between the main and west campus in Staples, the new facility will allow the entire program to be located at the west campus site.
MnSCU Chancellor James McCormick was among the many dignitaries who attended Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremonies at both campuses.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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