CMCC purchased the new property, located at 6100 Leslie Street, on Jan. 31, 2002, then leased it to the seller until July of last year, at which point campus administrators set in motion an extensive construction/renovation process. The estimated $30 million required to fund the facility necessitated the "Hands on the Future" capital campaign; nearly $15 million has been raised thus far.
On hand for the first day of classes was Professor Emeritus Dr. Herbert K. Lee, who taught the first class on CMCC's "original" opening day in 1945. At that time, the college was located at 252 Bloor Street West; for the past 30 years, the CMCC campus had been located at 1900 Bayview Avenue.
"Having Dr. Lee here today to speak at the first lecture was very important to everyone," commented Dr. Jean Moss, CMCC president. "Yes, this is the start of an exciting new era for chiropractic education and research, but pioneers such as [Dr. Lee] made this dream possible in the first place."
"It's a world-class facility that's going to meet all our educational needs," added Mike Caterer, CMCC student council president. "So much work has gone into this campus by so many dedicated volunteers. We feel grateful to be here, the first classes to benefit from so much generosity and vision."
As of press time, CMCC was preparing to celebrate the grand opening of its new campus on Sept. 18 - the anniversary of the college's grand opening at Bloor Street West in 1945, and of the first adjustment in 1895. The all-day event will feature a relay (from 1900 Bayview Avenue to 6100 Leslie Street), barbeque, ribbon-cutting ceremony, open house, and an evening reception, complete with dinner and dancing. According to the college, the new campus has been completed save for a few cosmetic details, which will be finished in time for the scheduled grand opening.
To learn more about Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, then and now; the "Hands on the Future" fundraising campaign; or to view photos of the construction process, visit www.cmcc.ca.
Resources
- New school year begins at new campus for CMCC students. Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College press release, Sept. 2, 2004.
- CMCC to celebrate grand "re-opening." Dynamic Chiropractic, Sept. 1, 2004: www.chiroweb.com/archives/22/18/07.html.
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