The Medicine Hat & District Food Bank is looking to move into the old fire station on Maple Avenue. (Photo Courtesy of Colton McKee)

By Chris Brown

$1.3M price

Food bank has deal to buy Maple Avenue fire station

Jul 17, 2020 | 3:33 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat & District Food Bank wants to move to the other side of the tracks.

A recommendation for the sale of the Maple Avenue fire station to the food bank will be presented at the regular city council meeting Monday.

If the sale goes through, the new building and the increased space will allow the food bank to establish a Community Food and Wellness Hub at the old fire station.

Celina Symmonds, executive director of the food bank, says the former Fire Station No. 1 seems to be the perfect location for their vision of the hub.

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“The food bank shouldn’t be hidden away, it should be at the front of everything that we do,” she said. “Food security is really important. We’ve learned over COVID-19 that food security is one of the most important things that we take for granted and so why wouldn’t we be front and centre where people can see us and they can access us freely without stigma.”

The concept of the hub is based on food sustainability.

“We know long term food sustainability is about more than just handing out food out the front door. It’s about teaching people to cook and bringing the community around to actually have relationships and community,” says Symmonds.

That includes community kitchens, community space sharing, gardens and greenhouses. A food market open to all Hatters and a cafe space are also in the plans.

Currently the food bank uses donated space for its Brown Bag Lunch, kitchen and nutrition programs. Moving to and renovating the fire station offers the potential to bring everything under one roof and new innovative opportunities.

The food bank will purchase the fire station for $1.3 million, and in turn the city will buy the current food bank property for $500,000. The food bank will pay the difference of $800,000 to the city.

The closing date for the sale, which is subject to a number of conditions, is Oct. 14.

The hub idea has been in the works for five years, she adds. They’ve spent that time fundraising, developing concepts and collaborating with the community and local partners to ensure the centre meets the needs of all community members.

Symmonds says the next steps will be further consultation with the community and neighbours around the fire station and ensuring the building is the right fit.

Last summer the food bank was in negotiations with the Medicine Hat Public School Division to establish the Community Food and Wellness Hub at the former Ecole Les Cypres next to Kiwanis Central Park on the Southeast Hill.