DUNN - The City of Dunn, Dunn Community Development Corporation, and Central Carolina Community College are holding an open house and dedication ceremony of the Dunn Enrichment Center.

The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Center, located at 660 E. Johnson St., Dunn. Light refreshments will be served.

Over 22 agencies have been involved in the renovation of the former Harnett High School, which is on the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office study list.

"It's one of the most important endeavors that the City has undertaken for a long time," said Dunn Mayor Oscar Harris. "The City was able to put together a coalition of public/private partnerships to deliver this project. This Center will be beneficial for the PAL students, our senior citizens, for the College and the City of Dunn and its citizens for many years to come."

The centerpiece of the project is the renovation and construction of 37 affordable senior apartments as well as renovated space for the Dunn Police Athletic League and the Dunn campus of Central Carolina Community College.

CCCC will use four areas of the renovated school property:

• The cafeteria area, which will house the Central Carolina Culinary Institute program.
• The greenhouse area, which will be available for Sustainable Agriculture classes as well as provide freshly grown produce for the Culinary Arts program.
• The Enrichment Center area, which will house a branch of the college's Barbering program.
• The Education Building area, which will include a Science Lab for college credit courses, Career and College Promise Pathways college courses for high school students, creative retirement programs, small business seminars, and Continuing Education workforce training classes.

Julian Philpott, Chairman of CCCC's Board of Trustees, noted, "The Dunn Center is a facility of which everyone will be proud. We're very excited to have it as part of Central Carolina Community College in Harnett County. Many great things are going to happen here in Dunn and we hope the Dunn Center will be a big factor in drawing people to Harnett County."

"I think it's a terrific opportunity for all parties concerned, for the college, for the community, for the city," said CCCC Trustee Clem Medley, President of the Dunn Community Development Corporation. "It just opens up a world of opportunities to do a lot of different things."

Medley said the new facility provides an opportunity to "become the focal point of a lot of activities around the city for a lot of different citizens."

CCCC President Dr. T.E. Marchant said the lives that will be changed at the Dunn Center will be phenomenal. "It changed lives a long time ago in its first life, and now in its second life it's going to start changing lives again," he said.

Dunn Assistant City Manager Steven Neuschafer has said it took the city nearly six years to organize and facilitate the ability to do this project through various sources.

Those who wish to attend the event are asked to contact Rebecca Parker Howington by Nov. 6 at rhowington@cccc.edu or by calling 919-718-7320.