Looking for some place to hold a corporate retreat?
Head over to the Salvation Army Echo Grove Camp at 1101 Camp Road in Addison Township ? they’ve got plenty of room.
Last week, the camp dedicated a new two-level, 7,000-square-foot Welcome Center.
It’s basically a multipurpose facility containing reception area with fireplace, four administrative offices, health clinic, apartment, classroom/workshop space and a large meeting room complete with warming kitchen and capable of seating a little more than 100 people.
‘Everything that we do is generally multipurpose because we service both adults and kids,? said Camp Director Mark McClenaghan.
The new facility cost $1.2 million, required 1? years of planning and took eight months to construct. It was designed by the Plymouth-based API Architects & Planners, Inc. and built by LaBelle Construction Company in Detroit.
‘We’ve got a nice meeting facility there now. That’s something we desperately needed out here,? said McClenaghan, noting it was designed to have a ‘more adult-friendly? setting in order to attract companies and expand the camp’s corporate retreat business.
‘We’re gearing up to do more retreats,? he explained. ‘That’s where we’re looking to grow. This facility kind of ties in with the retreat mentality rather than just a camp mentality.?
‘Every room (in the new Welcome Center) is hooked up with data and phone outlets,? he noted. ‘If we’re looking at this for business purposes, then we’ve got to supply the appropriate tools that are required.?
McClenaghan said the camp is even considering offering wireless internet service in the new building.
‘At a lot of corporate retreats they want to jump on-line and do stuff,? he said.
Corporate retreaters can stay overnight, if they wish, thanks to Echo Grove’s comfortable accommodations. McClenaghan said that last year, some of the camp’s buildings were renovated and transformed into 31 private rooms.
The new Welcome Center will also benefit the Echo Grove’s growing summer camp program for kids.
A brand new health clinic, featuring a waiting room, exam room and ward capable of holding six beds, will help heal whatever ails campers.
Health officers will stay in the new facility’s apartment, so they can be on-call 24-7 during the summer months.
The apartment, which has two bedrooms and can house up to four people, will be used by college interns most of the year, McClenaghan said.
The roughly 1,500-square-foot meeting room, which is capable of being divided in two using a movable partition, will help Echo Grove realize its plans to conduct a winter day camp program as well as host community events such as holiday meals and breakfast with Santa Claus.
For more information about Echo Grove call (248) 628-3108 or visit www.echogrove.org.