By Sara Quam
Luverne's less-than-adequate National Guard Armory may be replaced by a new Training and Community Center.
After a visit from Adjutant General Eugene Andreotti a few months ago, various community groups gathered to assess needs of the Armory.
Personnel from the Minnesota National Guard, the city, county, school and Chamber of Commerce discussed the possibility of a new center that could provide better for the Guard unit and incorporate community needs.
The group said in a letter sent to Andreotti Wednesday, "Members of the community feel the Training and Community Center is important for our community as well as the Guard unit it serves. At the present time the facility is used by the school for the gymnastics team and its equipment. There are craft shows, auctions, meetings and emergency situations where the TACC has been invaluable. We support the Guard and wish to have the facilities upgraded to meet their needs as well as those of the community."
The letter is the first step in getting federal approval, which would pay for 75 percent of its costs, with the rest split by state and local fees.
A big concern with the facility is parking. The current Armory is surrounded by residences and railroad tracks, and expansion is not an option.
If a new facility is built, the letter addresses some key points the community would like to see included in the planning: additional school gymnasium space, high school vocational services, law enforcement center, day care center, after school and latchkey programs, Heartland Express Bus storage and communications and senior citizens center.
After reviewing the current facility the following were listed as areas of concern:
oA report on state armory facilities shows Luverne's at the bottom of the list.
oThe present facility has no fire alarm system and no safety lighting.
oThere is inadequate wiring and lighting throughout the building.
oThe parking lot is inadequate and in need of repair.
oThere is no parking for the unit's military vehicles.
oThe kitchen area has been determined unusable. A cost of $90,000 has been attached to improving the present kitchen facilities.
oThe boiler is 25 years old. The cost to convert from the current steam to water is $150,000.
oThe roof on the main structure needs to be redone.
oThere is no ventilation.
oBecause of the winter training exercises, it is necessary for the facility to have additional storage.
oThe current phone system is inadequate with no possible state-of-the-art capabilities.
oThe soffets around the building are rotting and need to be replaced.
oThe acoustics in the main area are inadequate and cause problems because of the noise.
oThe shower facilities and male rest rooms are in the basement area and are inadequate.
oThere are no shower facilities for females.
oThere is no exit egress lighting.
oThere is no backup source of heating.
oThe steps on the entrances need to be replaced.
oThe facility does not meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.