IMLAY CITY, MI — The Imlay City Community Schools Board of Education, district administrators, students, and construction professionals recently gathered at the south end of Imlay City High School to officially mark the groundbreaking of the district’s forthcoming Performing Arts Center.

The $14.2-million, 500-seat Performing Arts Center — which was included as part of the $38.6-million 2019 Bond Program that voters approved — will support performance arts and provide instructional space for both academic and community use.

“The Performing Arts Center will further enhance the world-class education we provide to Imlay City by serving as a teaching and learning space to expand student exposure to, understanding, and appreciation of the arts,” said Dr. Stu Cameron, Imlay City Community Schools Superintendent. “But we also envision the center as a community hub where everyone can interact and engage around the arts.”

“This facility is a crown jewel that will serve educational, community, and cultural purposes," said Sharon MuirImlay, City Community Schools Board of Education President. "It will greatly enhance the appeal of not only our school district, but the entire community. A state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center has long been a goal of our district, and it’s exciting to bring it another step closer to fruition.”

When complete, the Performing Arts Center will host choir and band performances, drama performances, presentations, assemblies, award ceremonies, extracurricular activities, dance recitals, community concerts, and local organization meetings. According to Dale Jerome, President of FRENCH Associates, the architect on the project, the center will incorporate theater rigging, lighting, and sound components on par with what you could expect to find in larger, professional performance venues.

The center is expected to be complete in time for the 2022-23 academic year.

“In addition to building great projects, we also strive to help build up communities,” said Daryl Dombrow, Senior Project Manager of Barton Malow, the construction management firm coordinating the Bond Program. “That’s a big part of what the Performing Arts Center represents. It will be an asset to the local community.”

Barton Malow focuses on building commercial and institutional projects using innovative construction practices and resources across its 15 offices. The company has market specialties that include health care, commercial, K12, higher education, sports, and entertainment.