The current inadequate Lake Country Food Bank location in the former Winfield Elementary School.
Image Credit: Contributed
March 18, 2015 - 10:46 AM
LAKE COUNTRY - Less than two months after winning $100,000 in a contest to put toward the project the Lake Country Food Bank broke ground today on their new million-dollar facility.
During the ceremony, representatives were on hand from the District of Lake Country along with other major partners including a few from Okanagan College. For students in the Okanagan College residential construction program, building the facility will be a learning opportunity as they take the project from bare to lock-up stage as part of hands-on training, according to a media release.
The seeds for the new facility were planted in September 2014 when the food bank entered a national, non-profit charity contest promising deserving winners a chunk of $1 million in prizes. Sponsored by the Aviva Community Fund, the event winners were announced at the end of January and the Lake Country Food Bank was awarded $100,000.
Their current facilities are located at the rear of the old Winfield Elementary School building, which was recently sold. The three tenants using the building have been looking for a new home. The Lake Country School of Dance built a brand new studio around the corner, but the Lake Country Boys and Girls Club is still searching for a new place to call home. For the food bank, the win came at just the right moment and the new building will allow them to offer fresh produce, something the old digs couldn't possibly supply.
According to the District of Lake Country website, the municipality donated land and waived fees and taxes while the Rotary Club of Lake Country raised more than $125,000. Pledges were received from trades and engineering students in the area to the tune of $265,000 in labour and materials.
For information on the food bank or to donate, call 250-766-0125.
The new Lake Country Food Bank will offer fresh produce.
Image Credit: Facebook
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015