Cottonwood Chronicle

The SJB community was invited to tour the under-construction Angelus Center on January 29th, 2023. The tour began with a prayer of thanksgiving and a sparkling cider toast in the theater. Committee-member Kim Frei pointed out features of the theater, foyer, and gym. Guests were given a plan of the space and allowed to look at the lower level of the building on their own.
There were several project updates included in the tour. There have been many supply-chain issues with the project, most recently with the heating units. Replacement units were found and are expected to be installed this week. Drywall is ongoing with interior paint scheduled within the next month. The gym floor is currently scheduled to be installed in July. The theater interior will be finalized next fall.
The Angelus Center is being built by a private funding group. The school can't adequately express our gratitude for their gift to the school. We invite families to offer their own prayers of thanksgiving and blessing to these donors, the committee members, and the construction crews as they dedicate their time, treasure, and talent to this project.

The above image is taken from the large windows in the foyer looking straight back. The gym entrance is on the right. The entrance to the theater is behind the red lift on the left. Straight ahead is a large storage room, a hallway to reach the restrooms and stairs to reach the 2nd floor.

The building's main entrance opens to a sunny foyer. The foyer will be a large welcoming space that can be used for meetings or socials as well as serve as a gathering space before and after events in the building. The large opening in the middle of the photo leads to the gym. To the right of that opening is the kitchen which will serve both as a concessions space and industrial kitchen for major events. Photos provided by SJBA.

The gymnasium will feature a college-size gym with the capability to split into 2 high school size gyms. This setup allows the school to conduct practice for multiple teams at a time as well as hold tournaments.

General Contractor Morris Arnzen discusses a few safety issues prior to allowing guests to look around the building. This view of the gym shows the mezzanine level which includes a classroom, weight room, theater storage, and a unique multi-purpose racquetball court. The court includes large glass windows on the gym side. Young children can play in the room during games, while their parents can stand on the landing. From there parents can watch the game and their younger children.

Kim Frei points out features of the theater. She is standing just off the edge of the stage, with the photo taken in the seating area. The wood floor in the foreground is temporary. The permanent floor tiers down to below stage level.

This photo is taken from the back wall of the stage. The short wall coming down from the ceiling is the front of the stage. Visible beyond that is the U-shaped balcony, as well as the sound and lighting booth.

A photo from further back in the seating area shows one of the many acoustical elements of the theater's ceiling. Photos provided by St. John Bosco Academy.

. .