Building Magic - The Exciting Addition to our Beloved JS is Underway
The campaign for the Junior School is proceeding full steam ahead and the groundbreaking took place this week. While the pandemic may have delayed the start date by a year, the fundraising behind the scenes is now at $5.8 million of our $7 million goal. Our builders, Venture Construction, took possession of the Junior School last Wednesday and have officially broken ground on the expansion.
The Building Magic Campaign will create a new foundation for the original portion of CDS, our cherished Junior School. When CDS first opened its doors in 1972, we welcomed 49 students into a Kindergarten-Grade 8 school and today we have 780 students in JK-12. While CDS initially expanded the Junior School in the late 70’s, this part of CDS has remained largely in its original floor plan and became overdue for a focused addition.
This new build will rejuvenate our existing indoor and outdoor junior spaces, including an inspirational and welcoming new entrance combined with a sunlit atrium to showcase and protect our historic 1883 Eversley Schoolhouse. This inspirational renewal to the original part of CDS allows us to create a signature and versatile venue for students, classes, parents, and alumni to gather and celebrate our history. It will also create a central hub to better connect all components of our Junior School.
The construction of a new wing will provide purpose built classroom space for our JK and SK students, additional naturally-lit classrooms, a permanent home for our Outdoor Education program, new administrative offices and an infirmary, along with much needed infrastructure upgrades to our existing spaces such as sprinkler systems for all of Junior School.
Lastly, a new and modern-day playground and relocated play field will create one seamless and transformative Junior School environment.
This exciting project wouldn’t be possible without the extraordinary support of our community. Individual donors, our annual building fund, and our beloved Auction have all supported the campaign to date. We are extremely grateful to all that have helped us reach this milestone for the Building Magic Campaign. In September, we hope to be able to formally celebrate our groundbreaking (pandemic and vaccine’s willing) in person.
We are off to the races and expect to be finished in time for our 50th anniversary celebration in September 2022. Junior School teachers whose classrooms will be impacted by the construction next fall, have already been relocated, and we will endeavour to make this as seamless as possible for both students and parents.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
