BOZEMAN - It's a sign of the growth here in the Gallatin Valley. HRDC is getting ready to break ground on a new campus, with the hopes of centralizing the many facilities across the city.
As HRDC facilities like Fork and Spoon, and the Gallatin Valley Food Bank have outgrown their space they look forward to a new building in North Bozeman.
“We will be breaking ground on facilities that truly are designed for their intended purpose,” says HRDC Development Director, Kristen Hamburg.
The purpose is a new home to house current facilities. Many of the buildings currently weren't built for what they are used for.
“Our Gallatin Valley Food Bank, our Fork and Spoon kitchen, and all of our food and nutrition programming,” says Hamburg.
The new campus is set to house an expanded shelter
“The community's first year-round shelter,” says Hamburg.
The building, like the Warming Center, was originally built as a rollerskating rink but has been retrofitted as a shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
“It was never meant to be an overnight shelter, plus day center, plus facility for programming,” says HRDC Housing Director, Brain Guyer.
And Guyer looks forward to a new facility.
“To deliver those services in a way that is dignified for the individuals who may be experiencing homelessness,” says Guyer.
The Gallatin Valley Food Bank will also call the new campus home.
“We are so limited by space, so in the kitchen we can only do so much, Fork and Spoon can only do so much,” says HRDC, Food & Nutrition Department Director, Jill Holder.
The demand over the years for space at the food bank.
“What we thought was going to last 25 years lasted 6,” says Holder.
The hope is that they will be self-sufficient.
“Every year we pull in a refrigerator truck for the holidays and then we have to borrow space off of MSU,” says Holder.
Construction is set to break ground Thursday and phase one is set to be open in 2023.
HRDC also invites the public to a virtual event this Thursday night at 6 pm - click here to join the event.
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