'Mystery Millionaire' donates former Beacon Bowl alleyway to church

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- There's still a lot of work to do, but Jeremy McClements is excited about Beacon Bowl Alleyway's future.

"We really feel like this side of town needs something like this," said McClements.

McClements is part of South Bend's Riverside Church, a group that recently acquired the building in hopes of making it a community center.

The door is locked now, but in two years, it'll be open to church groups, non-profits, and anybody else in the community that wants to use it.

"Whenever you do some sort of creative redevelopment like this, or when you try to turn something like this into a unique opportunity for people to be a part of, you start to see change," said McClements.

Those changes include a lot of renovations to the ceiling, floor plans and recreation space; all so area schools and non-profit groups have a place to go if they need it.

"It's just giving them another outlet," said McClements. "There's a lot of non-profit groups that are working in the area that need some more space."

For parents like Charles Yost, he's excited about the center's potential.

He and his daughter live nearby, and like going to area parks.

They find things to do, but Yost said, something is missing in the neighborhood.

"The community isn't woven together like it used to be," said Yost.

And that's what church members like McClements are hoping to change.