The Community Center for Athletics and Wellness officially breaks ground

By Maddie Snyder ‘26 and Evan Zhang ‘26

Hats and shovels displayed at the groundbreaking. Photos by Maddie Snyder.

 On September 30th, various members of the Catlin Gabel School (CGS) community gathered under a tent at the construction site of the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness (CCAW) for its official groundbreaking ceremony. The CCAW is a new community building set to open in spring 2027, which will house indoor spaces such as a large varsity gym, dining hall, classrooms, and alumni center.

Outside, the building will feature the Joey Day Pope Plaza and the Douglas Eberwein Memorial Garden, two outdoor spaces dedicated to former students who have passed away.

Among the event’s attendees were current students, including student leaders, Palma Scholars, and the Upper School jazz band. As well as parents, retired teachers, alumni, faculty, and members of the Board of Trustees. Additionally, the communications office had invited local news outlets to attend; a representative from Portland-based organization KOIN-TV could be seen filming the ceremony.

The Upper School jazz band performing music for the ceremony. Photo by Maddie Snyder.

After a period of mingling and open conversation, CGS Head of School Tim Bazemore silenced the jazz band, who had been playing throughout, to give a brief speech. In it, Bazemore reflected on how far the vision had come. 

Envisioned as early as 2017, the CCAW is the largest capital project in school history, aiming to raise 30 million dollars. The campaign has raised approximately $26.7 million gifted by over 200 donors, just shy of its target.  

Then, Bazemore introduced CGS alumnus Stephen Babson ‘69. A Stanford Law graduate and former chairman of law firm Stoel Rives, Babson served as the student body president during his time in the Upper School. He emphasized the three pillars of leadership, community, and campus, stating how the school was “always missing a place where everybody could come together.”

Babson giving his speech at the groundbreaking. Photos by Maddie Snyder.

The third speaker, also from the class of 1969, was alumnus Jordan Schnitzer, who Babson stressed was a crucial part of enabling construction of the new facility. Schnitzer is the president of the Schnitzer Care Foundation and one of the top 200 art collectors in the world, as determined by ARTNews. 

Additionally, he has made the highest contribution to the campaign. Although the exact amount of his donation has not been publicly disclosed, it is the largest gift in the history of CGS.

Before Schnitzer began his speech, Babson and Bazemore together revealed the official name of the new building: The Schnitzer Center. Other names unveiled included the Babson Alumni Center and the Bazemore Lobby.

Bazemore and Babson unveiling the name of the Schnitzer Center. Photos by Maddie Snyder.

Next, Schnitzer himself stepped up to the podium to address the full tent. His speech, the longest of the afternoon, referenced his experiences as a CGS student and later parent, watching as the curriculum and teachers improved over the years. 

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of the school to not act as a separate oasis, but a part of the broader community. Lastly, thanking the many donors whose funds helped to sustain the project, Schnitzer touched on the notion of giving time and money back to a cause. “It’s all of you that made the difference,” he remarked.

Attendees listening to Schnitzer’s speech. Photos by Maddie Snyder.

Finally, Mark and Ingeborg Holliday, co-chairs of the capital campaign for the Schnitzer Center, briefly spoke. The project, eight years in the making, has survived both the COVID-19 pandemic and tariff increases, and is on track for completion next year. Beaming with pride, the Hollidays said, “This is a historic day. Today, we put shovels in the ground to start building a space that will serve as the heart of campus life for decades to come.”

Following speeches, Bazemore welcomed guests to the reception. Before that, though, a crowd gathered by a small dirt patch under the sun for the literal “groundbreaking” ritual. CGS students, ranging in age from lower to upper schoolers, posed with shovels planted in the soil. Subsequently, attendees left for the reception in the Cabell Theater.

Although construction on the facility has been ongoing since this summer, CGS students can expect that, after the ceremonial groundbreaking, the Schnitzer Center (formerly the CCAW) will begin to truly take on a life of its own.