Since the 1970s, members of the Central Baptist Church have envisioned an extension to the building that unifies its sections.
Lead Pastor Keith Harrington said the original space was fairly tight, and the staggered stages of building over the years had left it without a central link.
"The auditorium was built in 1970, the other side of the church complex was built in 2000, and there’s a bit in the middle from the 1950s — now we’ve built a sort of cafe-type foyer to link everything."
The $1.1 million project has been named the Hub by its congregation and will be used by community groups, as well as the church, as a space for people to connect.
When Pastor Harrington was appointed to the role eight years ago, he said the elders were already keen to move the project forward.
Utilising his prior architectural training to help guide the project, the build was designed by church-member Graeme McMillan of GM Designs and begun mid-2021.
Taking about 18 months to complete, Pastor Harrington said the build presented a fair challenge because of various Covid lockdowns.
The grand opening of the extension took place at the Deveron St church on Sunday with a short service and ribbon cutting ceremony.
"[The congregation] were pretty blown away. It’s a stunning space," Pastor Harrington said.
Waihopai Runanga members Cyril Gilroy and Evelyn Cook also attended the ceremony and delivered a karakia before blessing the new extension.
