Tyrone Community Partnership is in the running for the purchase of the recently vacated Citizens social hall, according to Partnership committee member Rick Gority.
There are two or three potential buyers for the property, and the members of the Tyrone Community Partnership believe the final round has begun with Reliance Bank to see who wins out on the purchase of the former social hall.
The Partnership’s proposed idea for the building is to turn it into a community center which could be used for dances for area youth, wedding receptions, craft shows, dance recitals, fundraisers, and any other event that would fit the needs of the community.
“The idea behind it was to step up and secure it as something that was run by the community,” explained Gority. “Then the community could still use it.”
He says a big fear the Tyrone Community Partnership, formerly known as Mainstreet Tyrone, has is that the building will remain vacant or that the building will be sold to an organization that will not use it for community purposes.
An open letter to public organizations was recently sent out by the Partnership which states, “As you have probably heard, Tyrone Community Partnership is considering the purchase of the former Citizens’ Social Hall. We are attempting to gauge the level of interest among other service organizations in the feasibility of such an endeavor.”
The letter goes onto explain the purpose of the meeting and the date and time of the event.
The public is invited to attend the meeting which is scheduled at the social hall on Tuesday, September 23 at 7 p.m. to discuss possibilities for use of the facilities.
The purpose of the meeting is to determine the degree of support from the community that would translate into volunteers and patrons for the proposed community center. This support from area organizations would then help to staff and utilize the center upon its opening.
The meeting is a time for individuals to express their opinions about what the proposed community center could be used for and for area organizations to show support for such a center if they would like it for the Tyrone area.
“We’re not out to make money,” said Gority. “We’re out to make it something the community can use.”
He explained the role of the Tyrone Community Partnership is that of a catalyst between the community and existing community organizations. If the Partnership was able to purchase the social hall and turn it into a community center, then it could join groups together for area functions and gatherings.
