TFS - Canada's International School

1 2 T F S F O U N D AT I O N WEST CAMPUS ELECTRICAL UPGRADE PLANS FOR NEW GYM ARE IN MOTION Plans for the gym have progressed since being introduced to the community earlier this year. CS&P Architects Inc., an award- winning Toronto-based company with vast experience working on projects for independent schools and universities, has been selected as the architect, and school leadership has been working with them to articulate the vision for the space. Our decision to invest in this space came out of a functional programming study that examined the needs of our students, and identified where we need to invest to adapt spaces to support both school programming and TFS' long-term strategic plan. "One of the consistent needs that came up was for flexible spaces where artistic, athletic and community life are encouraged. This new gym will provide all this, and more," explains Norman Gaudet, Head of School. "It's going to be a gym that offers our younger students a place to play and develop skills, and our young athletes to practise a wide variety of sports, and a place to compete. It's also going anks to the support of our communi, our West Campus is undergoing renovations that will enrich our students' experience by creating opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. The first step in transforming our West Campus facilities is the completion of an electrical upgrade, which is being made possible by generous gifts from a major donor and the Parents' Association, as well as by contributions from West Campus families through their generous response in annual fundraising appeals. The electrical upgrade is an extensive process, which after two years of planning and hard work is on track to be completed soon. It will allow for the phased installation of a robust, energy-efficient central air conditioning system, as well as for electrical support for the growth in facility usage resulting from the new gym. "The new system will provide more comfort to our students and staff," says Gord Mickovski, Executive Director, Facilities at TFS. to be a gathering space for our community, and a flexible space to serve many, many purposes." The construction of the gym will transform the experience of students on West Campus: they will have access to state-of-the-art facilities to play, train and compete on familiar ground by hosting home games. In addition, we will explore renting the gym to community partners as part of the funding strategy. The availability of the new gym will create opportunities for experience-based learning by opening up the former gym to be used for new learning environments and other purposes. "We are exploring making it into a multi- purpose room," says Norman. "A true multi- purpose room can be used for everything from art shows and student performances to exam space, and meeting rooms for workshops and staff development." Although, according to the Head of School, plans are still in the early stages, there is a lot of enthusiasm about the project. "It's exciting to see the progress we are already making as a community," he says. 1 2 T F S F O U N D AT I O N

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