The Bermuda High School for Girls officially launched the last phase of its `second century' development campaign with a ground-breaking ceremony for the school's new sports centre.

Rain prevented the ceremony from being held on-site, but architects and builders as well as BHS administrators and students gathered in the school's auditorium with shovel in hand.

The 13,000-square-foot gymnasium will be the biggest in Bermuda and will be named after 98-year-old Jessie Vesey, who graduated from BHS in 1919 and donated a "significant'' amount toward the building's $4.7 million cost.

It will include a full-sized basketball court, two volleyball courts, four badminton courts, a fitness/dance studio, changing rooms and a staff office.

The school is considering making it available to the community when it opens at Easter next year.

The new facility will replace a small gymnasium that was built in 1932, and has not been updated since.

"The current facilities were designed for far fewer students,'' said school trustee and co-chairman of the `second century campaign' Barry Shailer. BHS had just 200 girls in 1932 and has since grown to 630 students.

The space will likely be refurbished and used by BHS' primary school students.

"When (the new) building is finished, we will have an important addition to the life of the school and the girls,'' said Don Mackenzie, the school's site planning chairman.

Because the new gymnasium will be erected on land once occupied by the school's playing field, significant modifications were made to BHS's campus to ensure that the playing field remained the same size. The changes included the purchase of the "Dover House'' property to accommodate a field expansion, and the relocation of parking and access on Serpentine Road. An amphitheatre was also constructed.

Dover House itself will house the BHS' International Baccalaureate programme, which will begin in September with 15 students, including two boys.

Future development projects are likely to include an expanded art centre and modernising the classroom buildings.

"It is all part of a well-rounded education,'' Mr. Mackenzie said.