Sudbury Food Bank taking orders for use of new community kitchen

The Sudbury Food Bank is adding a community kitchen to its current spaceon Webbwood Drive.

The space will be used by community groups for food preparation, training and demonstrations, said executive director, Dan Xilon.

Examples of uses for the community kitchenincludetraining at-risk youth orshowing low-income families how to prepare healthy meals.

The kitchen is big enough to train a group of six people.

The community kitchen is modelled after a similar space Xilonsaw when he was in Prince Edward Island. He said there isn't anything like this in Sudbury.

The first thing he did was ask around tolocal organizations to see if this would be something they'd be interested in using. Then hepitched the idea to the board of directors at the food bank.

He said there has beentremendous community support, even before workersstarted the renovations.

"We went to private donors andsaid, 'we need this help, but not if it takes away from your food donation. It's got to be an extra'."

Xilonsaideverybody thoughtit soundedlike a wonderful idea.

Kitchen worth$400,000

A kitchen like this one wouldnormally cost about $400,000, Xilon said. However, because the food bank used donated equipment and other supplies, they've been able to keep the cost to roughly half that amount.

Xilonsaid hehopes further donations from private companies or individuals will help reduce the price tageven further.

The kitchen is nearing completion, although there is a bit of electrical work left to do, as well asinstalling all the kitchen equipment andputting in the ceiling tiles.

Xilon said everything should becompleted by the end of this week.

After that,afewgroups will test the kitchen over the summer monthsto see what needs to be changed, orif anything else needs to be added to the space.

Grand opening in September

The Sudbury Food Bankalready has 35 to40 groups that haveexpressed an interest inusingthe kitchen.

The kitchen is expected to be open for September.

Once finished, the communitykitchen will comply withthe latest buildingand fire codes, Xilon said. And it will be fully accessible.

Xilon said the new community kitchen will also be regularly inspected by the Sudbury and District Health Unit.

The new kitchen doestake away any space for food storage in the warehouse, Xilon added.