Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board trustees approved a tender to renovate the space at a meeting Tuesday night.

“Having this new theatre space is going to be a remarkable addition to the creative culture that already exists at Assumption,” says wards 2 and 9 trustee Fabio Costante, who represents the school.

“It will be wonderful place for our students to develop their performance skills and for members of the broader community to see first-hand the level of talent we have at the school.”

Trustees approved a recommendation to award a tender and contract for the renovations to Vince Ferro Construction.

Ferro’s submission of $1,142,050 was the lowest of seven bids that were submitted for the project.

The renovations will include: combining existing rooms to create a 4,000 square foot theatre space; seating to accommodate about 200 people; a contemporary new stage; a mixing and sound booth; and modern acoustics accoutrements.

Director of education Terry Lyons says he’s hopeful the new theatre will be ready by the start of the 2018-19 school year.

“Arts and culture are an extremely important part of any complete educational experience, and it’s essential to have the necessary accommodations for our students to advance their learning in these disciplines,” Lyons said. “We’re all very pleased that we will be able to provide a modern new space like this for our students.”