Upcoming Meeting On The New Poverello Center

Members of the Working Group for the Poverello Center Community Process will present their evaluations of potential locations for a new Poverello Center building at a public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 300 E. Main St.

The process began with a first community conversation at a public meeting in July. Its purpose is to hear and discuss community concerns, to study and evaluate potential locations and then to provide that information to the Poverello Center’s leadership. The process is being led by Amie Thurber, Executive Director of Missoula’s National Coalition Building Institute, at the direction of Mayor John Engen. Mayor Engen believes that settling the Poverello Center in a new facility and serving the needy and homeless is a community responsibility and thus has offered leadership in a public
process.

The working group members evaluated potential sites using criteria based on community comments.
They recommended three sites that should continue to be considered:

• 535 Ryman St., the present-day location of the Poverello Center, with additional adjacent
land owned by Missoula County;
• 1151 W. Broadway, the former site of GMT Consultants on the south side of West
Broadway; and
• 1106 W. Broadway, the former site of the Trail’s End tavern on the north side of West
Broadway.

The public is invited to offer opinions, recommendations and additional concerns at the public meeting. Working group members will discuss the recommendations in detail and answer questions.
Child care will be available.

The working group membership included representatives of the Missoula Neighborhood Council Community Forum, the City of Missoula, the Poverello Center, the Missoula Downtown
Association, the Missoula Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit community.

Again the meeting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 300 E. Main St.

From  Public Information/Communications, Ginny Merriam