The Food Bank on the Edge Society is seeking higher ground.
The Society’s executive director Cris Martin presented to Ucluelet’s municipal council on Feb. 13 and said last month’s tsunami warning “solidified the Food Bank’s intention to seek a more appropriate location.”
The Food Bank is currently located next to the Seaplane Base Recreation Hall.
“At just nine metres above sea level, the Food Bank stands to lose everything in the event of a major earthquake and tsunami,” she said. “Our goal is to relocate the food bank to higher ground. Not only to continue regular operations but also to act as an emergency food provider for the entire community in the event of a natural disaster.”
She said the Society is hoping to find a new location at Tugwell Fields.
“A future food bank building could potentially be multifunctional with food bank uses as well as park facilities, like storage rooms, washrooms and showers,” she said.
She said the Society received a grant from the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust last fall to conduct a feasibility study and explore alternative locations for the Food Bank and that work is nearing completion.
She added the current building would not be moved and that a new one would be needed.
“In it’s nearly 20 years of operation, the Food Bank has offered an essential service to the community,” she said. “On average nearly 200 area residents are provided with vital food assistance each month. We have observed a rise in the number of people accessing the food bank in the past few years, making our mission ever more important.”