The
New Grand Junction Community Center Committee has launched a GoFundMe campaign
as part of its efforts to raise the final $30,000 for a $220,000 Vision Iowa
CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant to build a new community center on
Main Street in Grand Junction.
To make a donation to the New Community Center fund, go to gofundme.com and enter the Grand Junction zip code, 50107, in the search box. That will bring up the “Gr.Jct, IA Community Center” link. Click on that and follow directions for making a donation online to the new community center fund. Or go the New Grand Junction Iowa Community Center page on Facebook and look for the GoFundMe link there to the community center link.
“We
are so excited about our GoFundMe page,” said Diane Wise, chair of the
community center committee. “In just a few days of launching the page on this
awesome crowdfunding website, we raised $650! Plus, we received a check in
person from another generous resident of Grand Junction for $2,000 to help make
this new community center a reality.”
Officials with the City of Grand Junction and committee members are committed to breaking ground on the new center on Main Street in the spring. “As soon as warm weather allows!” said Wise. “We are almost there. Our crowdfunding campaign will send us over, so please go online and donate generously to the new community center.”
The
new facility will replace a community center created in the late 1980s from two
storefronts on Main Street. Grand Junction’s longtime community center was the
landmark American Legion Hall (1922-1988) at 106 East Main. It was razed in
1988 to make way for a new library that was built in 1990. The community center
was then relocated to the 200 block on the south side of Main Street in the two
adjoining storefronts with connecting doorways.
In
recent years, the two buildings suffered from structural problems including a
leaky roof, poor heating and air conditioning, and a significant black mold
infestation. Backed by widespread support from civic groups and residents of
Grand Junction to build a new community center, in 2012 the City of Grand
Junction agreed to raze four of the six buildings on the south side of the 200
block of East Main (across from Peoples and Trust and Savings Bank) with plans
to raze the remaining two buildings (the Community Center) when funds became
available.
CAT
grant funds from Vision Iowa will allow the final teardown of the old
buildings. The site can then be prepared for new construction. Groundbreaking
for the new facility will follow.
The
total cost of the new facility is estimated at $1.1 million. The building will
house the city hall and council chambers and will include a kitchen, small
meeting room, and a large special events space that combined with the smaller
meeting room can accommodate events and activities for up to 250 people.
In
addition to the GoFundMe online campaign, donations can also be made directly
to the community center fund by sending a check to New Grand Junction Community
Center, PO Box 383, Grand Junction, IA
50107. Donations of grain or stock can also be made to the community center
fund. To make such a donation or for more information on the fundraising
projects for the new community center in Grand Junction, contact Diane Wise of
the New Grand Junction Community Center Committee at 515-370-1675 or email wiseone@netins.net.
