Mt. Zion Baptist Church Inquiring About City Building

An area church is expressing interest in using a city building for its activities.

Leaders at Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Whitman Street in Toccoa met with Toccoa City Commissioners at a work session last week to discuss the possible use of the old Whitman Street Recreation Center.

Willie Woodruff is one of the deacons at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

He said they would like to use the building for youth and teen activities.

“Fathers in our church are beginning to try to organize to try and deal with activities not only for their sons, but their son’s peers, and hopefully it will grow out to others,” said Woodruff.

Currently, the building is used by the Marine Corps League to store things related to its yearly “Toys for Tots” campaign.

Also, the city uses part of the building as storage.

Toccoa City Commissioner Jeanette Jamieson said those are among the things that would have to be worked out first.

“Would not there be a lot of things the city has to do before we could even consider it?” asked Jamieson. “First of all, wouldn’t we have to have it appraised? You have an active tenant and we know they are there through at least the end of the year, so regardless there is no decision that can be made right now.”

In addition, concerns were raised by someone in attendance about whether it would be available to just Mt. Zion Baptist Church or to the whole community.

Woodruff said they would be willing to work with anyone in the community that is interested, nor are they trying to compete with the Boys and Girls Club of Toccoa-Stephens County.

He said the church just feels there is a better use for the building.

“We think it is a better use to grow and develop young teenagers rather than storing things,” said Woodruff.

According to Woodruff, the church is also planning an expansion for a Family Life Center in addition to this possibility.

Woodruff did say that the church did not know the condition of the old Whitman Street Recreation Center and would need to know that first to see if it was feasible.

No decision was made on the church’s request, but the city said it could let the church in the building to assess the condition.