County Tenants' Asked To Vacate

Lakeland Art Association wanted to hold an exhibit of Ann Fahl's nationally famous quilts in 2000 at the Lakeland Art Center at 109 N. Lake St., Warsaw.

Fahl lives in Wisconsin but vacations in the Winona Lake area from time to time. Her quilts are inspired by Winona Lake and helped the center make a commission of $2,000 during one previous exhibit.

Now, Fahl's exhibit won't happen, at least not at the current center. Lakeland Art Center has received their eviction notice from the county.

The letter, signed by county administrator Ron Robinson, informs the center:

"As you may have read in the newspaper, the county is planning to expand the jail and justice building. This expansion will require the demolition of the building in which your business is located.

"We are giving you notice you will need to make arrangements to vacate the premises. Currently, we cannot provide you with a date on which demolition will commence. It is anticipated to begin as early as mid-June to late August.

"We hope this will not cause an undo hardship for your business or facility. Please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or if there is any assistance we can provide."

The current capacity of the county jail is 88 inmates. The proposed expansion of the county jail will hold 300 inmates. Schenkel Schultz Architectural Firm, Fort Wayne, has been hired for the project. The proposed construction would demolish the building south of the county jail where the work release and probation departments are located.

Lila O'Connell, Lakeland Arts Center director, said the association knew six years ago when they moved into the building there was always a possibility the county would ask them to move out for a jail expansion. She said the LAA thought they would get more advance notice.

"We had a verbal contract (with county commissioner Eddie Creighton) that we would have six months notice," O'Connell said.

If the LAC needs to be out by June, that would be only four months notice.

O'Connell said she was not even told about the jail expansion right away. She found out that the center may have to relocate when she read about it in a Fort Wayne newspaper and in the Times-Union.

O'Connell said Robinson told her the county would try to help LAC find new facilities.

"We would like to have 4,000 square feet," she said.

O'Connell said LAA will begin to look for a new place immediately. Even when they do find a new place, she said, it would take at least two weeks to renovate the new facilities and move in, and it will disrupt the showcases they had planned.

"I've got showcases lined up to the end of the year," O'Connell said. "We do have outstanding showcases and we do promote the artwork of area artists."

Also held up until the LAA knows where they are moving the LAC is the fund-raising campaign. O'Connell said she couldn't ask people to contribute until she knows what's going on and where they are moving.

And moving may be the hardest thing for the LAC to do.

"There's just an overall feeling of doing something to add to the social atmosphere of the community here," she said. "Hopefully, the (LAC) can continue to be downtown."

The Lakeland Art Association, a nonprofit group, was founded in 1957 by Fred Olds. Olds was a former instructor in the Warsaw schools and a well-known artist in the community.

The group has been active in the area during its existence. LAA sponsors a number of programs yearly as well as student scholarship showcases. Original members were Warsaw residents, but the organization now incorporates members throughout Kosciusko County.

The center offers classes on watercolors, oil and acrylics, calligraphy and children's classes. Tours are given for elementary and preschool children. High school and Grace College students are often sent to the center to observe showcases. The center also offers the facilities from time to time for outside people to use.