Regional Food Distribution Association Moves To New Building
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
The large building on Syndicate Avenue, which was previously the old Diamond Bingo and an A & P Food store, has undergone some major changes. After a major overhaul completed by Thunder Bay company Gateway Contracting, the 15,000 square feet building is now home to the Regional Food Distribution Association. The RFDA serves 28 food banks located in Dryden, Marathon, Ignace, Schreiber, Greenstone, Kakabeka and Thunder Bay. Atikokan has recently asked to be part of the group as well.
“ This facility is a huge relive. We were dealing with a 3000 square foot building that had multiple floors, access issues and traffic issues. We are now accessible to everyone. It is a step in the right direction. When the provincial food bank organization heard about what we are doing here they designated Thunder Bay as one of 6 hubs in the province for food distribution. They can now ship large transport trucks of items like tomatoes or potatoes here. We can make a significant impact on some of the poverty in our area. We can’t put everyone to work but can help with some food. Companies like Campbell’s, Kraft, Procter & Gamble and Christies have been huge for us. They can ship here easily now with our space” said Volker Kromm,
Executive Director of the RFDA.
“ We can now handle large volumes of food, either locally grown or local donations as well as large donations from large centers like Southern Ontario or Winnipeg from growers or producers that can give us an entire transport truck. We now have a loading door and all the
equipment to unload efficiently with our volunteers. The walk in freezers we have now are huge. Many of the member food banks don’t have the cooling and freezing facility so once a month when we get a large shipment, say of milk they can’t always handle all the volume. Now we
can store the products or freeze them and meter it out,” said Kromm. “ The kitchen is something new for us on this scale as well. It allows us to handle food right away and process the product into soups or stews, freeze that and meter it out so nothing goes to waste. It will help us double or triple our capacity. We are approaching $1 million of food that goes through here per year, which is purchased or donated. We are hoping to exceed $1.5 million this year. That is a big change. There is a lot of money that comes in through our food drives so we go on this bulk buying process. First we ask the food banks what their most important need is and then we augment their needs. Our purchaser goes out and gets good deals locally with the sales at say Metro, Safeway, Quality Market or whoever allows us to buy in bulk.”
The RFDA project cost will be closer to $1.5 million including their equipment.
“ We have had strong support from the Provincial and Federal governments, the Rotarians, the Paterson Foundation and others. We are still looking for about $200,000 due to some cost overruns but are very optimistic. To have something this size totally funded is pretty good.
At the end of the day we will be close to having everything paid off,” said Kromm. “ Much of the equipment has been donated or fundraised for like the big freezers. We have had many freezers that have been donated as well. The furniture here has been donated by the Smith Clinic or Shelterhouse.”
The RFDA has about 150 volunteers and a good core of about 30 people they rely on. More are stepping up to the plate now due to the changes here according to Kromm.
“ Through no fault of their own people find themselves in circumstances where they have to visit a food bank. I had a truck driver come in who injured his back and found himself going to food banks. At one point in his life he was on the streets. He got himself together and is now going back to school. We are just here providing some basic needs like food but everything helps.” said Kromm. The whole construction process went well. “ Gateway is great. They
were very accommodating and easy to work with. We never had any issues and they understood our needs very well. If we had changes they would address them and let us know what is possible. I think they are one of the best contractors we have in the city. I am very grateful for their work. The sub trades performed well also and on time.” said Kromm.
“ It was a kind of a straight forward job. It was an old A& P store and the water came into the back of the building so we had to run the line to the front of the building by cutting into the concrete slab. We put in new insulation on the exterior walls and built a new office area in the front, new kitchens and the warehouse space in the back. We put new brick on the south facade and cleaned up the existing brick to soda blast the paint off it. We put a new loading dock on, a new overhead door, installed new windows, a new driveway of concrete to
come to the loading dock, refurbished the sidewalk and did some new duct work for the new roof top units. There is a nice new boardroom, 2 kitchens and 2 freezers areas,” said Bob Olmstead, President of Gateway Contractors. “ It will be right up to snuff energy efficiency wise and will be very efficient. In the long run it will work out well for them and save them some money.”
Gateway Contracting are also doing the 94-unit retirement home on Isabella Street that will be opening up in the late spring or early summer. “ The future is going to be prosperous. There is a lot of big work coming out and a lot of smaller jobs as well. It looks for the next few years, construction is going to be booming.” said Olmstead.
“ The RFDA project worked out very well. Volker was nice to deal with and Kuch and Stephenson, Architects are always good. We work together very well. We seem to be on the good service projects with the Shelterhouse, George Jeffrey and now the RFDA. This building is for such a good cause. It is good to refresh these older buildings.” said Olmstead.
