City council is deciding whether to allow the Lord’s Bounty Food Bank, Flin Flon Arts Council or possibly both to rent the former hobby shop of the community hall.
Those options came to light this week as food bank volunteers made an impassioned pitch for the spot, saying it meets their needs for accessibility, privacy, and room to operate and expand.
“I really believe – and I think all of us here that work there [do] – you’re only as a good as you are treating your less fortunate,” food bank vice-chairwoman Alison Dallas told council at their Tuesday, March 15 meeting. “I think we had 58 clients today come in, and that’s not even a busy day. So I think there’s a misconception of how much we actually need this in this community.”
If the hobby shop is not an option, Dallas said the food bank will eventually have to seek out other locations.
“We’re on our last leg at that [current] building, so if we don’t get [the hobby shop] we are going to have to put it out there to beg somebody to step up [with a facility],” she said.
Dallas, one of seven food bank volunteers appearing before council, said the current building is too small and that the hobby shop would offer about three times as much space.
“We can’t even get around each other,” she said, describing the current Hapnot Street facility.
The food bank also wants to expand its services by adding a cooking program, a potential drop-in centre to keep people off the street, and space-sharing partnerships with organizations such as an indigenous sewing group.
Volunteers would want to install a kitchen in the vacant shop, with Dallas noting that discussions have taken place about a grant to cover the costs.
Another benefit to the extra space, she said, would be increased privacy for clients.
“I’m taking financial information from clients while other clients are getting food,” Dallas said.
“There’s nothing more uncomfortable than making somebody feel bad and asking them their personal questions while everybody else is there. It’s hard enough for those people to come walking in.”
Situated in the lower level of the community hall, with accessibility though a discrete side door, the hobby shop would offer food bank clients a suitable location, in Dallas’ view.
She pointed out that most clients live in uptown Flin Flon and that the hobby shop is accessible by public transit.
Carol Hydamaka, chairwoman of the food bank, stressed that the charity is not seeking free space.
“We’re totally willing to pay [rent],” she said.
The arts council has also applied to take over the hobby shop, to use in part as an office and meeting space.
But is it possible both organizations could share the space? Mark Kolt, chief administrative officer for the city, asked the food bank delegation whether they could make due with half of the hobby shop space.
Dennis Hydamaka, food distribution chairman, said that could probably work if the food bank chose not to invite other groups to share the space as has been discussed.
Coun. Bill Hanson said it looked to him as though the food bank might need its own facility.
“You actually need something pretty specific,” he told the delegation. “And I wish we could just cut a cheque and do that. I wish we were in that position, but unfortunately we’re not. But I really do respect and admire the work you do.”
Mayor Cal Huntley said he expects council to reach a decision on the hobby shop by the end of next week, if not sooner, establishing a consensus before the matter goes to a public vote.
The hobby shop, once a prime destination for do-it-yourself carpenters, closed in 2015 amid dwindling membership. All saws and other equipment have been removed.
