The Dayton area Lyon County Food Bank program is looking for a new home.

The historic Dayton Community Center has been deemed unsafe in the event of major seismic activity and large groups are no longer allowed in the building.  Major stabilization construction is about to get underway; consequently, the growing number of recipients and storage of the necessary food for the program makes use of the facility impossible.

County Engineer Dick Faber told commissioners on Thursday “Over time this food bank distribution of food has grown from a small amount of people to a rather large amount.  Since we have closed that building to large gatherings it has starting to create an issue of liability for us, so today (Thursday, February 18, 2010) will probably be the last day they are going to be able to use it and we are going to have to locate them somewhere else.”

According to Faber, the decision to distribute food from outside, in front of the community center on February 18 was the decision of Healthy Communities staff.  The day was sunny and warm; however, asked what would happen if the March distribution date is not as weather friendly, Faber said use of the community center would depend on the status of the construction project and other options would have to be considered.

County Manager Dennis Stark said the County would keep the avenues of communication open in the best interest of its citizens and the community.  He encouraged the group's “diligent efforts to find an appropriate alternate location to ensure continuity of their valuable services.”

A new location has not been found at this time, but County staff is looking. There is no available County property in the area, so other options, such churches and vacant commercial properties, are being looked into.  Space is needed for the storage of food and one day of distribution.

Faber said there are currently 197 families participating, which represents just over 600 individuals.

“It will get worse before it gets better, I am sure of that, so we are doing all we can to help them find a location,” Faber told the commissioners.   “They are getting participants from Lyon, Story and Carson, but the majority are from Lyon.  It is basically about a nine-mile radius within the three counties.”

Regardless, ultimately a new home for the food distribution program and other entities currently housed in the building will have to be found.

According to Faber, several years ago discussions with community members determined that the preferred long-term use of the community center would be as a cultural center - for local art displays, community meetings and other cultural related events.  With this in mind and the need for the structural rehabilitation, the County pursued and was granted funding from the State Historical Preservation Office for the first phase of the construction.

This first phase is to tie the roof and floor to the exterior walls and provide new roofing.  The second phase will be to restore structural members in the floor and restore first floor areas damaged by settlement.  In March of this year the County will begin construction of Phase I and at the same time present their request to the board for Phase II funding. 

“During construction, the food bank’s use of the building will be limited or stopped as I can not allow the construction to be delayed or put individuals at risk by the ongoing construction,” Faber told NewsDesk.  “Upon completion of Phase II the building will be used solely as a cultural center.  On or before this time the food bank operation and potentially other occupants must be relocated as it would not fall under the meaning of cultural events.”

The time frame for Phase I construction is 90 working days.  The second phase could be completed potentially this time next year.  During this time, use of the building will vary. 

“We apologize to the community for the inconvenience however we are working hard to locate other accommodations,” Faber said.