Yellowknife (Apr 25/03) - Yellowknife Catholic schools are $500,000 richer.

Last week De Beers Canada Mining Inc. donated the money to the district's career and technical centre project. The funds will be paid over the next five years.

The donation will be used to help pay for the construction, instruction and some equipment supplies for the career and technical centre, said Mike Huvenaars, Catholic schools assistant superintendent of business.

The three phase $1.8 million project is set to go to tender over the next week.

Phase one, which includes building the shell and floor, should start in June, he said.

During the second phase the inside of the building will be completed and the third phase equipment will be purchased.

Huvenaars said De Beers has made a commitment to participate in naming the facility and sit on the program steering committee.

The district raised $1 million of the funds by selling some vacant lots and leftover money from the Weledeh construction.

The territorial government helped with land acquisition while additional funding also came from Skills Canada, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Aurora College.