BELFAST, Maine — The University of Maine announced last week it would be selling its Hutchinson Center location in Belfast to Calvary Chapel Belfast, a local evangelical church, but not all in the community are happy with the decision.
Calvary Chapel Belfast rented space in the center from 2017-2020. While the church declined to interview, Pastor Greg Huston went live on Facebook with the announcement late last week, and the church posted a revised version of their bid proposal online. Many comments on the announcement appeared to show support for the purchase and sale.
Having their own space will allow the church to expand its programs, some of which include addiction services and their co-op homeschooling process.
However, some Belfast residents, such as Mayor Eric Sanders, feel the space would be better used by other community groups.
"It could've been a taxicab company, and I would have the same questions. It's not about church with me," Sanders said. "The Hutchinson center was built for everybody, not just people who believe in Jesus."
The center was first built in 2000 by MNBA and later gifted to UMaine in 2007 by Bank of America.
Sanders feels the decision to sell to Calvary Chapel goes against the building's purpose.
"Did they think about education?" he said. "The original reason for building the place."
Former Belfast Mayor Mike Hurley was in office when ground broke on the site and he has seen how the community has used the space over the decades since.
"People had weddings there. We had so many small conferences. So, it expanded to community. It expanded to business," he said.
Two other organizations, Waldo Community Action Partners, and The Future of the Hutchinson Center Steering Committee and Waterfall Arts, also made bids.
Waldo CAP declined to comment but FHC-WA said in a statement that it is "disappointed" in UMaine’s decision.
The group has already submitted an appeal citing their plans to make the center "the educational, cultural and civic hub" of Greater Belfast as to why FHC-WA should win the bid instead.
Waldo CAP has until 5 p.m. Wednesday to submit an appeal to UMaine. After which, the university will continue negotiations with Calvary Chapel Belfast.