Grant received for Banner Reservoir shelter house

“Now the real fun begins – it’s time to build a building.”

That comment came shortly after Deb Dillner, a member of Friends of Banner Creek Reservoir board of directors, announced to the Jackson County Commissioners yesterday morning that the organization – under the authority of the county – has been awarded a grant to help build a community building at the reservoir.

Dillner, Beth Nelson, FOBCR board member, and  Kurt Zibell, reservoir director, met with the commissioners to discuss the $160,000 matching grant received from the Kansas Land & Water Conservation Fund.

In July of 2020, the FOBC submitted a grant application for a 42-foot by 60-foot climate- controlled multipurpose building that would seat 125 to 150 people and include a serving kitchen.

Due to repetitive delays created by the COID-19 pandemic, the announcement of the grant recipients was pushed back.

“With the delays, material costs have gone up, and we may have to do additional fund-raising,” Dillner said. 

Bids were originally acquired in April 2020 for the building, but will now be rebid, Dillner said. 

Once the grant was submitted, FOBCR was not allowed to conduct any additional fund-raising. Now that the grant has been awarded, additional funds needed can be raised.

The FOBCR currently has raised $112,750 for the project, Nelson said. In addition, the county has allocated $25,000 in county alcohol tax funds toward the construction of the basement of the building, which will be used as a storm shelter for anyone visiting the reservoir.

Nelson said the delays due to COVID-19 greatly affect the price of the originally submitted bids to construct the building.

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