Wolmer's auditorium dedication this week

The Right Reverend Dr Howard Gregory, Diocesan Bishop of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands, will, this week, preside over the dedication of the new, state-of-the-art Wolmer's auditorium during the school's Founder's Day celebrations.

The dedication of the auditorium, slated for 5 p.m. on Thursday at Wolmer's Boys' School, North Heroes Circle, will include greetings from Wolmerian and mayor of Kingston, Senator Dr Angela Brown Burke, and chairman of the Wolmer's Trust, Milton Samuda.

An update will also be provided on the auditorium project by Wolmerian, Douglas Orane.

The result of the combined effort of several stakeholders, led by Orane, the Wolmer's auditorium has been funded by major donors, as well as a wide cross section of Wolmerians and friends.

The 11,840-square-foot building will accommodate 2,300 persons standing, or 1,800 seated, and will be able to host major events for the three Wolmer's schools, as well as be available for rental to provide a source of income for the schools.

The building was designed by Wolmerian, architect Paul Thorburn, to be environmentally friendly and economical to operate: rainwater will be collected from the roof and stored in an underground tank, and solar panels on the roof will contribute to saving energy for the auditorium and the schools.

The auditorium replaces the assembly hall that was destroyed by fire on January 7, 1991.

Construction of the facility started in August 2014 at a cost of $171 million under the guidance of an alumni-led team.