Grand Junction mayor Jerry Herrick (right) and his wife Shirley (middle) had a pleasant chore to do Saturday afternoon – updating the sign showing progress on fundraising for a new Grand Junction Community Center. This time, it didn’t mean adding red to the thermometer. It meant changing the numbers along the side. Vernon Fritz (left) stopped by with advice.
Jerry Herrick explained that when the steering committee started the project two years ago and put $350,000 at the top, there were no plans yet for the building. Once they started doing their research, that goal changed. Not only that, but “everything costs more now than when we started,” he said.
The Herricks weren’t sure Saturday afternoon what the top number on the thermometer would be, but Jerry said it would likely by $850,000. The total is considerably more than when the project was still in the discussion stage, but there’s good news: the committee has already raised $400,000. There wasn’t room on the sign to post an accurate figure.
There are grant applications outstanding, and if those grants are funded, the committee will be close enough that the city council will take on indebtedness for the last $200,000 or so.
In the meantime, Diane Wise is heading up a Grand auction slated for Aug. 22 on Main St where the new community center will be built. See the event Facebook page for a preview of the items that will be on a silent auction or auction by Col. Dale Higgins.
