Community of Hope to build a worship and community center if land deal pans out

Community of Hope Church has announced plans for a proposed multipurpose community and worship center which it will build on five acres adjacent to land tentatively earmarked to become part of Pacana Park.

Lisa Akers, the church’s children’s director and wife of Lead Pastor Rusty Akers, said on Wednesday that the church remains in escrow with El Dorado Holdings to purchase the acreage as part of a 15-acre deal. The remaining 10 acres are on the Feb. 19 City Council agenda for consideration as being part of a tentative deal that would incorporate them into Pacana Park at a cost of $70,000 per acre (see “City Council to consider land purchase to expand Pacana Park“).

Although she said she could not comment on what plans the city might have for its portion of the land if both purchases go through, Lisa Akers said the church plans to use its property to serve the community as a whole.

“We will have a location that will benefit the public in every aspect, seven days a week, whether it is a community center, space for all of the non-profit organizations to use,” Lisa Akers said. “During the week it will be used for whatever the city needs to benefit the community.”

She added that on Sundays the center would provide the congregation a place to meet. The church has met at Pima Butte Elementary School for two years.

“The Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts would have a place to meet, a place to hold dinners, do whatever celebrating they need to do,” she said. “I don’t know what that looks like. It has to do with who lives here and what is going to be more beneficial for the community.”

Lisa Akers said there is no set budget, no set plan for fund raising and no timeline has been put into place for the development of the property. She stressed that because the land has not yet officially become theirs to use – or to sell – that making any concrete plans or announcements would be premature.

She did say, however, that they plan to be as creative as they can to keep costs as low as they can.

“We have nothing to hide,” the children’s director said. “We have nothing but the community’s best interest at heart. That is our whole purpose of being here to provide the hope of Jesus Christ to the community.”

That might take the form of providing service to the local food bank or another charity, providing a place for non-profits to meet or any number of possibilities.

“Whatever way it needs to be done,” she said. “We need a place for our kids to hang out that is safe. We need a place to celebrate a wedding. We need a place for the people to do whatever the community needs.”