EAST ARCADIA — Bladen Community College ended its operations at the East Arcadia Center on Friday.

In a news release, the college said, “In the past, the demand for classes in East Arcadia was so strong that the college needed dedicated classroom spaces to effectively respond to the students. However, the community needs have changed and the college can more appropriately respond by securing classroom spaces when needed.”

Bladen Community College has had a presence in the community for better than 20 years. These have included curriculum and continuing education classes, and certificate offerings.

The college said it would “continue to explore various strategies and ways to serve students in the East Arcadia community.”

Bladen Journal