The Farragut Community Center will finally open next week. If you’re not excited, you haven’t been paying attention.
The town purchased the former Faith Lutheran Church, located at 239 Jamestowne Blvd., in the summer of 2018. The community has wanted such a facility for decades, but the finances didn’t work until a partnership was brokered with Knox County. In lieu of a 20-year lease, the county paid for the majority of renovation costs to the 40-year-old building, and the bottom floor will be the new West Knox County Senior Center. Patrons will also have access to the upstairs gymnasium. Without this partnership, the community center would still be just a dream.
Here’s why you should be excited about the Farragut Community Center:
- It represents Farragut beautifully. This is truly a gorgeous building! Fresh paint, elegant flooring, new lights and a lot of glass make it feel brand new. We think the community will be really proud of this space.
- It’s got rental space you can’t find anywhere else in town. The community center’s Assembly Hall, gymnasium and two classrooms are available for rent, and they are surprisingly affordable. The Assembly Hall – the former sanctuary – is appropriate for weddings, parties and meetings, and rental includes an attractive pre-function area and a catering kitchen. The middle-school-sized gym, which can be rented for events as well as sports and fitness, has a stage. And two spacious classrooms are full of natural light.
- Indoor recreational programs offer something for everybody! Programs include volleyball open gym, pickleball open gym and challenge court basketball – including lunch break and family time basketball. Toddler open gym will allow the smallest members of the community to play on colorful, age-appropriate equipment in the gym. What a wonderful way to get the wiggles out during the winter months! A new Parks & Rec website has details on each of these exciting offerings.
- It’s the perfect place for the community to come together. The community center will be the new site for Farragut’s favorite events! The first events scheduled at the new Assembly Hall are the Town of Farragut Photography Show, Feb. 21-22, and Visit Farragut’s Songwriters Showcase on Saturday, Feb. 29. The songwriter event will be a full-blown party with food, drink and live music. On Saturday, March 7, the community center gym will be the site of the Shamrock Ball. Advance tickets for the ball are on sale now; Songwriter Showcase tickets go on sale later in January. Learn more about both events on the town of Farragut Facebook page.
Your first opportunity to get inside the community center is Thursday, Jan. 16 – the town’s 40th anniversary. Farragut and Knox County officials will cut the ribbon at 10 a.m., and the building will be open for tours until noon. The community center will be closed in January but will open for viewing during regular business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) and some evening and weekend hours during February. (Check the website for specific times.) Programming will be in full swing by March 2.
You don’t have to be a Farragut resident to participate in community center programs, but you will need a free membership card. Be sure to stop by the center in February to sign up and get your card.
We can’t wait to show off the new Farragut Community Center! We hope it will be a place for Farragut to celebrate, recreate and gather for many years to come.
Town of Farragut marketing and public relations coordinator Wendy Smith is your reliable Farragut Insider.