SPN: Search begins for food bank's new home
Mac Olsen
for South Peace News
The Town of High Prairie is offering to help the High Prairie and District Food Bank Society find a new home.
Food bank coordinator Kim Dumont spoke to council during their meeting Jan. 11.
“We’re here to stay,” says Dumont. “We’ve been here since 1997 and I don’t think we’re going anywhere. The board’s concern is the ongoing situation with the food bank, of having to move from one place to another.”
The building they're in now has been sold. In December 2011, they received three months’ notice to be out of their current location, by The Bottle Stop, at the end of March.
Dumont has worked for the food bank for 5½ years and they’ve had to move three times since then. So they are seeking assistance from the town to find a new permanent location.
“We want to see if there’s some way we can find a permanent home for the food bank (so) that this is not an ongoing situation.”
Councillor Barry Sharkawi says he has been checking around town and found a building near Marigold Enterprises.
Dumont says the new location has to be useful and operational immediately. It also has to maintain client privacy.
“You can’t be out on Main Street because you will not have the clients. The clients will not come. So we really have to look at a place that’s not going to be right down main street. The clients will not come to a place like that.”
Sharkawi says the building he is suggesting has an alley and provides client privacy.
Dumont says it sounds like a good suggestion. But the health inspector has to pre-approve any new location. The food bank is classified as a grocery store like Freson Bros. IGA so running water, hand washing stations and all other services have to be in the new location.
Councillor James Waikle suggests the food bank society would have to build their own permanent location because buildings are always selling. They should find out if grants are available, he adds.
Dumont says the food bank society could access a facilities grant which would cover half of it. However, they would have to get the rest of the money on their own and they don’t have it.
Later, Dumont added the society has a small building fund.
Dumont says the society may need up to 2,000 square feet in their next building.
Mayor Rick Dumont says council will try to help them as much as possible.
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