KENNEBUNK – When the coronavirus hit back in the early months of 2020, Doug Spurling was already planning a new venture – a space, he said, with community in mind.

The construction project had already been outlined and the financing was in order for the new space, he said. So, it advanced, as planned, with few bumps, and the result  – the Infinity Center – opened officially at 1 Alewive Park Road two weeks ago.

Infinity Center is a 5,300-square-foot addition to the Spurling Fitness building but is intentionally branded as a sister to the fitness location, the owner said.

Spurling began Spurling Fitness in 2012 on Water Street and moved to Alewive Park Road in 2015, and is involved in the community.

“I’m the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and keep a pretty tight pulse on the local business community, as well as consult for over 100 gyms across the world, not only in the U.S., but Canada and the U.K.,” said Spurling.

On March 27, there were lots of folks on hand to kick off the morning open house with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Laura Dolce, executive director of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce, said chamber events and marketing manager Laura Snyder Smith.

There are seven suites in the Infinity Center.

“We created a large community space where we could help people in other ways aside from just fitness,” said Spurling of the Infinity Center. “We want to have art shows and makers markets, bring in subject matter experts to run workshops and programs, and once it’s normal again, have social gatherings and parties.”

Spurling said he hopes the center attracts service-based businesses – and some already have moved in, including Saco Bay Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy and Athlete’s Touch massage therapists, with room for more.

The creative corner has space for artists, designers and others.

The community room is available for rent – for classes, organizations or events like wedding or baby showers or similar events.

Spurling said expanding in the pandemic did produce a few issues, but not a lot – there were material delays and occasionally a worker had to quarantine, but otherwise was OK.

“Now, opening a community space in this “new world” certainly has its challenges, but ultimately this is such a long game move for us in in the community, we have plenty of patience with it,” said Spurling. “Plus, we think once things stabilize, and it looks like they are starting to, we know that people are going to want to gather, people are sick of Zooms, and they want to be face-to-face.”