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Grand opening of the West’s newest center is May 18-20.
The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Phoenix South Mountain will open in less than a month during the dedication weekend, May 18-20.
The center, directed by Majors Guy and Denise Hawk, includes four major components: a center of worship and performance venue, an aquatics center, fitness and recreation center, and special event facilities.
Grand opening festivities will include a dedication on May 18 with Territorial Leaders Commissioners James and Carolyn Knaggs, a free community fair on May 19 and a concert by the Western Territorial Youth Band and Chorus, and Sunday services on May 20.
This will be the sixth Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in the West, following San Diego; San Francisco; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Salem, Ore., and Kapolei, Hawaii. After Phoenix, one more center will open in Suisun City, Calif.—located in Solano County near Fairfield—May 25-27.
Southwest Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Joe Posillico shared the following facts about what it takes to build a 150,000-square-foot community center:
· More than 600 total construction days
· 360,000 construction man-hours, averaging 75 workers on-site daily
· 18,600 lineal feet (just over 3.5 miles) of wall
· 134 miles of line-voltage wire and 28 miles of low voltage cabling
· 227 doors and 2,056 light fixtures
· Swimming pool surface area of 5,000 square feet and 107,328 gallons of water
· 410 tons of air conditioning equipment (enough to heat and cool 146 regular-size homes)
The Phoenix Kroc Center has an Army shield logo, 46-feet by 54-feet, on the roof of the chapel/performing arts center, which may be the largest Army shield in the world.
Throughout the process, the Army has taken steps to be energy-efficient, including diverting the waste generated from construction—4,686,000 pounds—to recycling centers as outlined by LEED. It also submitted proposals (660 total) electronically, saving 26.5 trees, $57,908 in reproduction costs, and 8,355 days of shipping time.
Visit the Phoenix Kroc Center online: psmkroc.org.
