Submitted by the Potato House Society –
Over 2016 you will see a lot of action at the Potato House as we renovate to create a mini Community Hall. With funding from Northern Development Initiative Trust and crowdsource funding from the National Trust for Canada, we will be able to build a washroom on the first floor with a pull cord toilet, clawfoot tub, and hot and cold water, all keeping with the style of 1941, the year the house was built. Renovations will also include a new, insulated roof, refurbished floors, freshly painted walls, and historically accurate light fixtures. Once completed, this space, with a 30-person capacity, can be rented for events such as small weddings, board meetings, retreats, family reunions, photo shoots, and the list goes on. These rentals will create ongoing income and will help financially sustain the organization. This will also allow for a comfortable space for Potato House events, meetings, and functions.
The Potato House Society will continue fundraising efforts in order to renovate the second floor into offices for the Society and the basement into long-term rental offices or a daycare.
Under the direction of new executive director, Mary Forbes, the Society will continue to grow annual events like the Zombie Walk and Photos with Santa, as well as maintain the gardens in an area that may also be a construction zone for a good portion of the year.
The composting site will not be disturbed during these renovations and we encourage you to continue to use this service. This site has processed approximately 648 tonnes of compost since its inception, saving the City of Williams Lake and tax payers $64,000 in hauling fees based on a taxable weight cost of $100 per tonne.
We encourage businesses and the public to use this easy-to-access composting system on a weekly basis to help our community become more sustainable and continue to lower hauling fees and waste in our landfill. The Potato House Project is the only drive up compost at a heritage site and we are working hard to create a landmark not a landfill.
For more information about the Potato House Project check out our website www.potatohouseproject.com or email us at grow@potatohouseproject.com.
