Thursday 28th March 2024

One of the many impacts from last August’s derecho was the toll it took on the Fisher Community Center. The Fisher Governor Boards of Trustees is developing plans to renovate building into combination Art Museum and community center under the name of the Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center, the home of the Fisher Art Museum and Martha Ellen-Tye Playhouse. Karn Gregorie is President of the Board of Trustees. She says plans for the art collection had already begun with $200,000 raised to restore the collection. That collection sent out for restoration last July.

Then in August, the dercho did its thing. The Board has already made one million dollars worth of repairs to the roof and abatement of asbestos, covered via insurance. Bids on the interior, which will also include offices for community agencies, an auditorium and a catering kitchen are expected to go out this month.  A one million dollar grant from the Tye Foundation has been approved and an additional three million dollars will need to be raised for the project.