Mercy Health, Central Catholic High School announce $1.2M investment for school facilities

4/10/2018

Attendees hold up one finger in the air during Mercy Health's and Central Catholic High School's announcement event of a $1.2 million investment at Central Catholic in Toledo on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Mercy Health and Central Catholic High School announced on Tuesday a joint $1.2 million investment for facility improvements at the school, as part of an ongoing partnership between the neighboring institutions.

Funding will replace the turf and track at Gallagher Stadium and install a new elevator in the school. The investment furthers a partnership between two anchors in the Cherry Street corridor, said Bob Baxter, president of Mercy Health-Toledo. 

“The sports complex is partly about the activities that happen there, but it’s most importantly about teams coming together with a shared mission,” he said, crediting the two organizations’ “rich histories” in the neighborhood. 

The athletics improvements are expected to be complete by the 2018-19 school year. The new elevator replaces the current one, which dates to 1928, and will improve access for people with disabilities.

Dominic Spinazze, the school’s board chairman, asked students, staff, and alumni present for the announcement to consider the theme: “Better together on Cherry Street.”

“One thing I know for certain, Central Catholic is a better place because of its relationship with Mercy Health,” he said. “Two strong Catholic institutions working together for the advancement of education and the advancement of health care.”

The announcement is one of several efforts by Mercy Health to revitalize the neighborhoods near Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. In November, the health system announced it would offer up to $5,000 to people looking to buy a home in the Cherry Street Legacy neighborhoods.

Contact Lauren Lindstrom at llindstrom@theblade.com, 419-724-6154, or on Twitter @lelindstrom.