Lake Cowichan is not about to lose its food bank.
That was the message from Mayor Ross Forrest Tuesday.
Food bank workers have been nervously looking over their shoulders recently, though, as their present home in a local church will be gone when the building sells.
Forrest has been watching the story, too.
"I read on social media just like everyone else that there was an offer. I phoned the church to confirm it. Nothing's official yet. They should know Friday," he said.
That means there's a chance the food bank will have to find a new location very soon.
"If that goes ahead, then we need to be out by Nov. 15," confirmed Betty Sanddar, president of the food bank society.
But the Town of Lake Cowichan has been waiting in the wings, offering the Mildred Child Building on South Shore Road, next to the municipal hall, according to Forrest.
"When the question arose a few
months ago, the town assured the food bank that we had a temporary location for them if they had no place to go to. We didn't want them to be left high and dry. They were aware of this. There is a location for them," he said.
A clearout of the building was postponed earlier in the year.
"As soon as there's confirmation we'll move our bylaw officer and our building inspector from there to a different location. Then the food bank will have that building if they want it. They're not stuck; there's been no question of losing the food bank," Forrest said.
Meanwhile, the Lake Cowichan Food Bank Society has been actively soliciting votes towards an Aviva Community Grant to help establish the service in another site.
"We're still looking for a permanent home because the town is apparently hoping to tear that Mildred Child Building down next year, but they've offered it to us for a year if we need it. It's better than nothing, better than being on the street," Sanddar said.