The Parry Sound Friendship Centre is in disrepair and their new home can’t come soon enough.
On January 7th, the Friendship Centre is relocating to 70 Isabella Street. The Centre will assume a wing and the gymnasium at the former Isabella Street School.
“This building has kind of seen its day and there is a lot of major work to be done. We had a building condition assessment done and it put a damper on things,” said Delores McKay, Executive Director of the Friendship Centre.
The Friendship Centre owns the building and property on the seven-acre lot and according to the Town, the structure was built around the 1920s and was once operated as Gregory & Greek Co. General Store.
McKay said Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services provided a building conditions assessment and they said that bringing the building up to standard conditions would require $3 million.
McKay says the building’s heating, plumbing and electrical are dated. Employees wear their jackets while working and their average winter heating bill costs around $2000 per month.
Parry Sound Friendship Centre will decide what it plans to do with the building once its Board of Directors meet and finally consult with members on whether they will renovate or sell the building.
The fate of the building is scheduled to be confirmed during the third week of January. The Friendship Center has been running for 52 years.