A
ny lingering bitterness over the merging
of two Peoria Catholic high schools 25
years ago is about to end as construction
has begun on the new $40 million Peoria Notre
Dame High School at the corner of Allen Road
and Willow Knolls Drive in Peoria.
The Academy of Our Lady/Spalding High
existed in downtown Peoria for 113 years until
a decision was made to close the campus and
move its students to rival Bergan Catholic High
School in 1987. To ease tensions, the name was
changed to Peoria Notre Dame. While younger
generations were never exposed to the emo-
tional merging of the two previous schools, the
entire Peoria Catholic community is looking for-
ward to a place they can all truly call their own.
“
There has always been a healthy rivalry
between Catholic schools and it is really some-
thing beautiful, but in reality, we are all one,”
said Msgr. Mark J. Merdian, newly appointed
president of Notre Dame High School.
Merdian graduated from Spalding Academy
in 1985 and recalled the emotions a few years
later. “Some people could not get beyond (the
merger), which is unfortunate, because what
does it say to the unity of the church, the unity
of Catholics when people become so angry and
vociferous about merging two schools that are
both Catholic?”
The first phase is a two-year project to
construct athletic facilities at the site. Grading
for the roadways and thoroughfare is already
taking place. Construction will soon begin on a
new football and soccer field, as well as a track,
tennis courts and diamonds for baseball and
softball teams. Merdian said he anticipates the
softball and baseball fields to be ready by the
spring of 2013, while football and soccer fields
ready for the fall of 2014.
The project has not come without bumps
in the road. The board has had to recalculate
the cost to build the athletic complex from an
estimated $6.4 million this spring to a more
accurate $10.5 million currently. Despite the
increase, Merdian said the project is moving
forward and that he hopes the athletic complex
provides momentum for the estimated $29 mil-
lion to $35 million school building, which will
follow.
“
The athletic facilities are lacking,” Merdian
said. “Obviously, athletics are not what we are
about, but athletics enhance a person’s maturation
and their development as a person – physically as
well as spiritually. That’s why the board was very
much in favor of moving forward.” A past study
by Bradley University students revealed the Peoria
Catholic community was pleased with the current
education at Notre Dame.
THE FUTURE
FROM CORNFIELDS TO CLASSROOMS,
PEORIA NOTRE DAME’S FUTURE IS NOW
STORY AND PHOTO BY KEN BROOKE
DOM COMFORT, QUARTERBACK OF THE PEORIA NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL TEAM, AND CHEERLEADER MARYSUE CICCIARELLI STAND
IN A CORNFIELD NEAR WHAT WILL SOMEDAY BE THE HOME OF THE NEW NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL AND SPORTS COMPLEX.
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THEPEORIAN.COM
