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New Family Life Center is a gathering place for the community

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 8:40 AM Monday, March 15, 2010

FAIRFIELD TWP. — North Fairfield Baptist Church’s new 25,000-square-foot Family Life Center is very noticeable from Gilmore Road.

The white addition contrasts with the red brick church, giving the building a certain “curb appeal,” said Doug Hurley, the project’s committee chairman.

“We took a lot of effort to plan it,” said Hurley, emphasizing all the vested users of the church at 6853 Gilmore Road. “There’s nothing that we would change.”

The life center was completed in September, said Pastor Mark Wilson. There’s still some interior work to be finished, like bleachers for the gym and carpeting for the class and meeting rooms.

Wilson said it has been a need for about 20 years. Planning for the addition started five years ago with a capital campaign.

“A lot of folks were sensing the need for a Family Life Center,” Wilson said. “We desperately needed educational space. It gave us the ability to grow in our discipleship programs and Sunday School programs. It’s also a big outreach to the community.”

The facility uses a lot of natural light in its entrance way, which opens into the gym. On the second level is a walking track, plus class and meeting rooms.

Every Saturday, about 1,000 people come and go for the Central Butler County Upward Basketball League and Upward Cheer, Wilson said. Among its other uses, the facility is a Red Cross emergency shelter and a Butler County elections polling station. In May, Wilson said there will be training for the decennial census workers.

“We wanted to be community-oriented, but we didn’t think we’d be utilized that way,” he said.

The church also helped contribute to the area by paying for the sewer system, and dedicated it to the county. Wilson said that act sped up the construction process.

Wilson said he’d like to see the facility used four to five times a week. He’d also like to have the facility be the catalyst in developing partnerships.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to move ahead,” Wilson said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.

North Fairfield Baptist Church

Where: 6853 Gilmore Road, Fairfield Twp.

Contact: (513) 868-0823; www. northfairfield.com

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