‘It’s falling apart’: Flood at Meadow Lake food bank highlights building issues, push for new facility

The Meadow Lake food bank was underwater last week following a heavy spring snowmelt.

Flooding at a Meadow Lake food bank is exposing longstanding problems with its aging building and adding urgency to build a new facility.

The flooding, which happened last week, was triggered by heavy spring snowmelt and made worse by poor drainage.

Staff rushed to save supplies as city crews brought in pumps to remove water from the facility.

“It was a lot of water,” said Delton Sylvain, executive director of Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries, which runs the food bank and soup kitchen.

“We took mops, we took vacuums, we took buckets — we tried to do whatever we could.”

The water damage has worsened existing mould issues. It’s the latest problem with the 90-year-old building.

“No matter where you look it’s falling apart,” said Merv Johnson, co-chair of the non-profit.

In an effort to address insulation problems, staff have resorted to hanging blankets near doorways to block cold air from freezing food in the winter.

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The flood may be a tipping point, pushing the non-profit toward a new build.

“I’m just hoping and praying that we can get a new building because, we really need it,” Johnson said.

Demand has grown in recent years, with the soup kitchen serving not only Meadow Lake but surrounding communities.

Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries estimates the soup kitchen serves about 100 people a day.

New location approved

In January, Meadow Lake city council approved a “discretionary use application” allowing the food bank and soup kitchen to relocate to a vacant lot on 3rd Street East.

The proposal drew 47 written submissions of support and three objections.

Board member Bob Steeg said plans for the new facility include a two-storey building with expanded space for services.

“Downstairs would be the kitchen, in the front, and the food bank in the rear. We’re toying with the idea of having some laundry facilities,” Steeg said.

The organization also hopes to include private rooms for services such as counselling and help with paperwork.

“A lot of these people don’t have addresses, they have no identification,” Steeg explained.

If approved and funded, construction could begin as early as fall.

Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries is currently fundraising for the project.

A new, larger facility has the support of Earl Gower, who has relied on the soup kitchen for about four years.

“Oh, I think it would be wonderful because this place is old — like me,” he said, laughing.