Sutherland Makes Room for New American Legion/Community Building

February 12, 2015
 
The former Sutherland Bowling Alley was demolished on Saturday, January 31st to make room for the new American Legion and Community Building. The new facility is being built on the corner of Ash and West Second Streets and will include a meeting room, kitchen and restrooms. Also included in the plans is a storage area where the Legion will be able to house their hospital equipment.

Funding for this $1.9 million endeavor has been a project in itself for the American Legion/Community Building Committee, a combined group of American Legion members and city representatives. They began with a significant donation from the Raymond and Wynona Johannsen Estate. The building will be named the R.L. Johannsen Community Center in honor of the late Mr. Johannsen, a World War II veteran and lifetime member of Sutherland’s American Legion.

Another considerable source of funding will hopefully be a $350,000 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant which is offered through Iowa Economic Development Authority. The committee has worked hard on the lengthy application process and will be anxious to see if they are included in this year’s grant recipients announced on April 15th.

As a requirement of the CAT grant, the committee needed to secure local matching funds. So far, they have received an approval from the City of Sutherland for a $15,000 donation and additional donations of $3,000 per year for the next 5 years, bringing their total contribution to $30,000. Sutherland Economic Development has pledged $25,000 toward the project and Sutherland’s Community Fund, administered by the Security State Bank, will provide another $20,000. O’Brien County has committed 0.25% of the total project cost, which is the county’s standard set donation for such projects.

A timeline for construction has not been set. The committee will be able to move ahead with plans more quickly, dependent upon whether or not their CAT grant application is approved. A non-profit corporation, named R.L. Johannsen Community Center, has been set up to receive donations. Questions about the project should be directed to Sutherland Economic Development member, Steve Koch, at 712-446-3739.


Source: “The Northwest Iowa Review”, February 7, 2015 article by Mark Mahoney