| IF YOU GO ON THE WEB |
| • What:Open house for the Sacred Heart Parish Life Center-- a multi-use facility for church functions, assemblies and, for Sacred Heart School, a gym and lunchroom.
• Where:Sacred Heart School, 15 Hunters Ave., Taftville.
• When:After 4:30 p.m. Mass today; after the 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Masses Sunday. Refreshments will be served.
• For more information:Call Rich Dzialo at 334-1979 or Sacred Heart School at 887-1757.
• Sacred Heart School: sacredhearttaftville.org
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NORWICH-- It was touch and go for a while because of rising construction costs, but thanks to Sacred Heart parishioners, the new Sacred Heart Parish Life Center will be unveiled this weekend.
"This is a dream come true for the parish," said Sister Mary David, principal of Sacred Heart School. "We had almost given up hope because of costs escalating out of sight, but the people have been so generous we were able to go ahead with the project."
Sister David, who has been at the parish since 1985 and has been principal since 1991, said the close-knit parish has every reason to celebrate the new facility, which will be open after Masses today and Sunday.
"They made it happen."
The parish received about $800,000 in pledges on the $1.2 million project during a five-year campaign, according to project coordinator Rich Dzialo, a longtime parishioner and trustee of the church. Dzialo has spent the past nine months getting the building constructed. The church took out a loan to pay the difference.
About 800 families belong to Sacred Heart Parish, and 150 children attend Sacred Heart School.
The 7,500-square-foot multi-use facility will serve as a gymnasium, cafeteria with full kitchen, church function hall and assembly area with air conditioning and a sound system.
"It was a good project," Dzialo said. "The community will get good use out of it."
"Everything is ready but the floor," said Sister David. "That should be complete within the first two weeks of the school year. Otherwise, we're ready to go."
The parish broke ground on the project in October. Delta Building Corp. of Cromwell completed the work, with architect Fred Marzec Associates and CLA Engineers, both of Norwich.
According to Monsignor Henry Archambault, Dzialo was instrumental in hiring the contractors.
"Rich's expertise helped us tremendously," said Archambault, who has been with the parish for 25 years. "He saved our lives. We've been thinking about this project for a very long time after hearing parishioners repeatedly ask for a hall."
Sister David said the parish also wanted the building to fit into the historic neighborhood.
"We didn't want it to be an insult to the neighborhood or didn't look like it belonged," she said. "But Delta said we would be very pleased, and we certainly are."
Sister David and Archambault said they are looking forward to inviting the community inside to see school plays, put on functions and have a general meeting place.
"So many came together to help, and this will be wonderful for them to see the final project," said Archambault. "In the meantime, I can't wait to play some basketball."
Originally published July 29, 2006
