The Haines Assembly unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday, committing to help financially support kitchen renovations at the Chilkat Center for the Arts.
The Chilkat Center is a borough-owned building, that houses a theater, event space, dance studio and KHNS.
The Foundation for the Chilkat Center wants to upgrade what it, in a letter to the assembly, calls an ‘obsolete’ kitchen.
Lori Dudzik, spoke for the foundation at Tuesday’s assembly meeting.
“I really want to see the kitchen fixed up,” said Dudzik. “I think it’s going to be a wonderful, wonderful addition to the community.”
The foundation believes the new kitchen would bring more economic and community use opportunities, providing more options for people wanting to rent the space.
Construction is estimated to cost $250,000. So far, the foundation has raised $30,000, and it plans to seek additional grant funding.
Borough Manager Debra Schnabel told the assembly there are still considerations to make with the implementation of the project.
“There will be ongoing throughout the year, a more concerted effort to look at some of the issues involved in the proposal,” said Schnabel. “There are issues with ADA compliance, there are issues with air handling, circulation, there are structural issues. We do not know how the proposed project will impact the entire building.”
The assembly voted unanimously to allocate $90,000 to the kitchen renovations in the FY20 budget.