PROGRESS: Bishop Heelan's new facilities reflect fine arts and athletic prowess

In 2014, the school opened a $15 million, 37,600-square-foot fine arts center just across from the current school campus, at 11th Street and Grandview Boulevard.

The new facility boasts a 600-plus-seat auditorium for plays, concerts and musicals. Previously, fine arts events were held in the Heelan gymnasium. Principal Christian Bork said the theater provides a benefit to performers, audience members and even athletes.

Now, choir students can rehearse for performances early after school instead of having to wait for the gymnasium to be available after games and practices.

"It definitely makes for not as late nights for vocal music students," he said. 

Additionally, band students have an open practice room with enough floor space to permanently set up jazz and concert bands as well as private practice areas and instrument storage cubbies.

Bork said the fine arts center hosts roughly 16 classes per day. New to its second year is a music theory class. He said interest in fine arts programs has increased since the building's construction which has, in turn, opened up space in the high school for extracurricular activities and other educational programs. 

"It's an outstanding educational and performance center," he said. 

At Memorial Field, the track teams enter a new era with the installation of a new, eight-lane track. 

Bork said for the last seven years, the condition of the previous track deteriorated, complicated by draining and compaction issues. Those faults have been addressed and a new all-weather polyurethane surface will allow the school to host home meets for the first time in two years. 

Last year, Heelan programs had to get creative for practices. Distance runners hit the streets and throwers used areas near the high school. Some practices were held at the East High track. 

"It was definitely a deterrent and an obstacle," he said. 

Now, Bork said, Heelan has a track that will support the track and field teams and improve athletics across the board.

"Track feeds into all athletics," he said. "There's not a sport you will play that won't benefit from participating in track."

The new facilities and improvements, Bork said, allow the school to build on its reputation as a competitor in both fine arts and athletics. 

"As a building administrator, it's exciting to see alumni come together to support these improvements and exciting to see students and staff make good use of them," he said.