Friendship House looking for a home

Friendship House, long a venue for clubs and organizations seeking a free meeting place, may soon be gone.

Since 2000 the Castleton Colborne Optimists and Colborne Rotary have paid the heat and hydro on the place, but both have decided to end the agreement this year. In 2002a $25,000 Trillium Grant allowed the interior to be upgraded, but since then the exterior has fallen into need of repair. A new roof is needed and work must be done on the exterior walls.

When the Optimists dedcided they could no longer look after their obligation, Rotary had a second look.

In a June 25 interview Rotary President, Betty Brisco stated, "After many years of providing the service, Rotary has decided it will carry on no longer." Mrs. Briscio added that the club offered to continue the arrangement until the end of the year, even though the deal expires at the end of July. Rotary felt that would give users and the Prospect Community Church which owns the building, time to make other arrangements.

The church board decided earlier this month not to carry the agreement on past the expiry date in July.

The Rev. Barbara-Anne Ramer says the church has enjoyed having groups use its building. She explained on June 25 that the summer is a down time for most groups. If they were allowed to continue using the building until the end of December, their meetings would be disrupted in mid-year. It's better to make the change now.

Church Secretary, Jane Taylor, thanked Rotary in a June 10 letter and informed the club, "In view of the fact, that most groups do not continue their programs through the summer but rather begin again in the fall, the Church Board has decided not to extend the lease."

Mrs. Taylor went on to advise the club that the church was not in a financial position to fund repairs to the exterior of the building

The minister confirmed that the repairs to the exterior would be too costly for the church. "We can't even afford to repair the roof," she commented. Paying the ongoing bills of about $100 per month is out of the question, given the building's needs.

The church is open to any reasonable solution regarding the future of the building. The church owns three buildings on the property and Friendship House is surplus to its needs. The church is growing and could use the land for parking.

Rev. Ramer says demolition is a possibility if it can be done cheaply. If someone wants to move it to another location the price would be right. If it is still standing when the winter arrives everything will be turned off inside and there will be further deterioration. Whatever happpens, the church wants to make the decision as soon as possible.

The building was formerly a small bungalow.