Tue February 04, 2025

By Jeff Smithpeters

Garrett Memorial Christian breaks ground at site for new $4.3 million gymnasium
At 10:00 a.m. Tuesday on a plot of land to the west of the Garrett Memorial Christian School campus, a groundbreaking ceremony took place. The school plans to build a new gymnasium starting in a month with hopes to open it by May of 2026, according to its architect Mark Bailey.

Speaking at a podium to several dozen attendees including the student body of GMCS, principal of the school Christi Zumwalt said, “It seems this building has been a long time in the making, but that's my time. That's our time. In God's time, we are right on time. God knew just what things and what people he would put into place.”

She said the work toward raising funds for the new gym began over ten years ago under her predecessor Jimmy Walker and involved the generosity of donors, many of whom she named during her speech. 

“I would be remiss if I didn't recognize some of our long-time faithful donors, the Pafford and Gresham families, the David Ashby family, the David Parker family, Bill and Ginger Tolleson. So there's so many more. I could go on and on. So many of our teachers are faithful and our staff are faithful givers, and no amount given has been unnoticed over these years, whether five dollars, $25, $25,000 no amount has been unnoticed,” Zumwalt said.

In total, $3.7 million has been raised for the project. 

Also speaking at the ceremony was member of the City of Hope Board of Directors and former Mayor Steve Montgomery who told the assembled, “It's great to have a choice of education that we have for anyone that comes into our community. So we appreciate all that you do and all that you all do for our community.” He also congratulated the GMCS junior high girls basketball team for winning a state title this past Saturday.

Mark Bailey, who will be working with prime contractor Altech Incorporated on the project which is expected to cost $4.3 million, said the plans had come together after 12 years of work and many meetings. “Even in the times when it looked like there was no way we could pull it off, everybody kind of hung in and stuck together,” Bailey said. “I just want to say I really appreciate your patience with me, and it's truly been an honor and a blessing to be a part of this, and it's been a labor of love, really, and it's so great to see this come about.”

Bailey explained in an interview after the ceremony what the new building will include. “the gym is about 15,000 square feet. It's got a full-size regulation basketball court, about 450 seats, and it'll have four dressing rooms. It'll have a lobby with two public restrooms and concession stand,” he said.  

After the breaking of ground occurred, refreshments, including a chocolate dirt dessert, were served to the many children gathered on the main building’s west side.

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