10/21/22 - Friday Forget-Me-Nots by Jim Silcott

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Dear Our Lady of Peace Family,

With the exception of the bleachers, which should be installed any day now, the Msgr. Kenneth Grimes Gymnasium (The Grimesnasium!) is complete. New lighting, new paint on the walls, air conditioning, and our new gym floor have transformed that space.

For two weeks now students have been able to occupy the gym in the mornings and during physical education classes. When the bleachers are done it will be fully open. Comments from our students have been one of awe and additional comments: “It looks like a hockey rink.” There is a giant Tiger Tribute on the middle of the floor.” “It’s still got that new gym smell!”

Just like buying a new car, or getting a new living room couch, Jenny Bryant, our Director of Facilities, is nervous about anyone actually using it. She is going to do her darndest to keep it looking as fresh as it did when it opened. Daily dust mopping, frequent wet mopping, strict prohibition of food and beverages are all on the agenda. Although the surface of the floor Is used in many gyms and is considered very durable, Jen wants to make sure that it lasts long into the future.

A word or two about Mrs. Jennifer Bryant: She is a graduate of Our Lady of Peace and has settled nicely into her role as the woman who takes care of the church, school, convent, and rectory. On my first day on the job as principal in July 2017, Jen was the first person I saw. She was on the riding mower in front of the school. Her bright smile and friendly wave made me feel welcome.

She had big shoes to fill after previous facility directors Dick Baird and Garret Miller but fill them she has. She takes immense pride in our campus being clean and in good repair. She knows that there are still many projects on the horizon in a school building over 70 years old and a church over half a century open. Her passion not only for our buildings about for our school and parish mirrors the passion that so many of us: staff, students, parents, and parishioner have for this wonderful place.

So, if you are using the gym and Jen gets on you, please know that she is doing it out of love.

Our second project, the ramp, is still a work in progress. It has taken longer to complete than any of us expected. We were sure that it would be done before the gym. For a long time, we had to wait for the city permit. Now we are dealing with a shortage of cement. We do hope that Oliver Bonnette, whose influence raised thousands of dollars for the project, will be able to use it soon, along with anyone else who has trouble with stairs.

For a long time, I must admit that I wasn’t sure what the finished project was going to look like. Many parishioners would come up to me after Mass to ask just what the heck we were building there. But I finally have a clearer picture of the finished product. You will enter next to the soon to be completed new stairs, go left towards the north corner of the gym and then right up to the double gym doors (which are being replaced. The new landing will be flush with the gym floor making for easy access into our building. The blocks will not remain bare, and the ramp will be fully ADA compliant. One day, it is my hope that we will have another ramp to take people into the cafeteria so that the entire building will be accessible to people with mobility issues without venturing into the split-level elevator that, while functional, is a little daunting and requires someone there to turn the key.

Huge thanks to all who donated to both projects and to the Catholic Foundation that gave us a $20,000 grant for the ramp. Thank you also to our leader, Father Dooley, who spearheaded both projects and brought them close to the finish line.



Jim Silcott