Friends of community center offer $60,000 to abate asbestos and stabilize Heritage gym floor; council supports emergency fixes

Friends of the Pella Community Center asked the council to allow emergency spending to remove ceiling tiles, abate asbestos and patch the Heritage gym floor after staff and the project architect observed buckling floorboards and falling ceiling tiles.

Marvin Vanani (Friends treasurer) told council the gym has been closed since 2018 for safety concerns tied to ceiling tiles and that humidity buildup is likely contributing to floor plank buckling; the Friends authorized up to $60,000 in grant funds from private sources (Maran County Community Foundation and a charitable foundation) to pay for abatement and temporary repairs so doors can be opened and airflow restored. Staff and the architect recommended controlled removal and contractor coordination so the work does not duplicate future renovation work; the Friends emphasized the funds must be spent within the grant timeline.

Council thanked the Friends for proactivity, asked staff to pursue the emergency abatement and coordinate with Shimer Associates and contractors, and agreed the work would not reopen the gym for general public use until the larger renovation is complete but would reduce immediate hazard and protect the existing floor from further deterioration.

Why this matters: The intervention uses private grant funds to address a public‑safety hazard and preserve a historic facility, while avoiding unnecessary full replacement of the floor if humidity is reduced promptly.

What’s next: Staff will solicit contractors, coordinate with the Friends and Shimer Associates, and return with status updates.