Letter to the Editor: Consider other uses for Kmart building

By Jeff Bergstrom, Charles City

Concerning the old Kmart building near the Fareway grocery store — With this Kmart building it appears that the building’s owners are really in no hurry to sell it, but eventually will, maybe. Now, would the owners consider donating it to the Charles City school system to repurpose the building, or donate it to some other worthy cause?

The school system could repurpose the building for its indoor sports events for year-found use, like swimming events or an indoor public swimming pool to replace the one at Lion’s Field, but could be used for the school system too — dual purpose!

Indoor track for relay events practice, after all, the old Manual Arts Building that was destroyed in the May 1978 tornado had a second floor indoor running trach for practice, relays and physical education and it sat next to today’s YMCA building to the east.

This building could also have manual arts training in it — for jobs trades, welding, machine show and carpentry, drafting, as well as a football field for practice and games in inclements weather.

This building has plenty of space and plenty of parking for this. Part of it could be used for other groups. Also a convention center could be in there. If the building’s owners could donate it to the school system or city for this purpose that would be good.

After all, the Fareway store donated their old food store on North Jackson Street to the day care center that’s now there, so the same could be done with Kmart’s building.