Motorists on Paris road in northeast Columbia can see the new multi-million dollar community center being built in the Whitegate neighborhood near Sylvan and Towne.
That’s one of Columbia’s poorest areas. United Community Builders is building the 22,500 square feet facility, and steel is starting to go up. Senior Bishop Damian Dean of United Community Builders spoke Saturday on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program, telling listeners that he expects the Beacon of Light to open this fall, weather permitting:
“And the purpose of this center is to inspire and to educate people to achieve in life. Unfortunately, northeast Columbia has been a resource desert,” Bishop Dean says.
Bishop Dean says the community center will be open Monday-Saturday and will include a community room that the public can use. He says it will make a difference:
“We will have a regulation-size high school gymnasium … basketball court. We’re thankful for Laurence Bowers and Matt Moore and Gary Thompson for really pushing us during the capital campaign to get a regulation-sized gym,” says Bishop Dean.
Mr. Bowers is a former Mizzou basketball star, while Mr. Moore is a former Shelter Insurance chief executive officer. Mr. Thompson is Columbia Insurance Group’s former chief executive officer. The Whitegate neighborhood has many children, and there’s no playground for two miles.
