A new popcorn stand in Three Rivers? City allows for brand-new stand; evaluating options for historic stand

By Robert Tomlinson
News Director

THREE RIVERS — A historic landmark in Three Rivers may soon no longer be in commission, with the city evaluating options for what to do with it moving forward.

On Monday, Aug. 5, the Three Rivers City Commission gave initial approval for Pivotal’s Kristy Barkley to move forward with plans to put a new popcorn stand in Scidmore Park to replace the historic popcorn stand that has been around the city for decades.

The stand is currently used by Pivotal (formerly Community Mental Health) as part of its ADAPT program, which Barkley is part of, to give job training to individuals with disabilities. The impetus in replacing it, according to both Barkley and city officials, is because of the current stand’s size and space available, as well as the physical state of the building’s materials.

“They want to continue to operate it, and we still want to continue to provide popcorn and snacks, and it’s also a good job training,” City Manager Joe Bippus said during the meeting. “We need to do it in a better facility; the popcorn stand’s nostalgic, but it’s not as functional as it should be.”

In a presentation created by Barkley that was in the public board packet, it notes that the stand has required a lot of maintenance over the years, and that materials on the stand, like the wood framework and the roof, are “in a state that can no longer be repaired without replacement.” It also states that there is not enough space in the 12-by-4 stand for current operations with a staffer and coach in there at the same time, and that the layout does not allow for easy access and egress for those with disabilities.

The ”dream,” as Barkley put it in the presentation, is to replace the stand in the park with a new pre-manufactured stand in the same spot as the old one that would increase dimensions to a 12 foot by 12 foot layout, which they say would allow for space to accommodate staff, equipment and any employees that may have disabilities. It would also include an ADA-approved ramp along the west and north sides of the structure, which initial renderings show would be in the style of a barn, reminiscent of the red barns found around the area near the petting zoo at Scidmore Park.

Funding for the new stand, Barkley said in a phone interview Wednesday, has been secured from a number of donors, which according to the presentation includes Three Rivers Energy, Meijer, and a couple of other private donors, totaling around $20,000, while TC Appliance is pledging to donate a fridge. In addition, the presentation noted the Culver’s restaurant in Three Rivers would allow a fundraiser night to raise money for the project.

However, the elephant in the room is the old stand and what to do with it. Barkley wrote in her presentation that getting a replacement is “not a way of saying that the old stand doesn’t bring a lot to the community,” it is “a way to make sure that the popcorn stand continues into future generations.”

Ideas for moving in a new direction, while still paying respects to the old stand, she said, would be to consider finding it a new home in the community.

“If there was an interest in the community, it could be rehomed to an organization like TRAM or the Historical Society. We also could investigate auctioning it off to an interested member of the community,” Barkley wrote in her presentation. “We would be open to ideas on how to best move forward.”

During the Aug. 5 meeting, First District Commissioner Pat Dane agreed that the city needs to keep the old stand around, because of its importance to Three Rivers history. Department of Public Services Director Amy Roth mentioned much of the exterior and interior work that needs to be done, even if it’s used or not.

“The roofing has been in disrepair for a while. We repainted it to seal it, and that is already cracking again, so we’re going to start experiencing leaks. And then the entire wooden exterior would have to come off and be replaced. Wood only lasts so long,” Roth said. “We know that as we’re looking at putting extensive money into rehabbing that – and it’s nostalgic for me as well, and it’s been a tough conversation as we’re working through it.”

Roth added that with ADAPT doing job coaching there, they are “limited on who they can job coach in that building” because it is not ADA accessible. Dane said she understands the need for a bigger place, but that the idea of “getting rid” of the popcorn stand would bring a lot of people out to a city meeting.

“I don’t want us to say we’re just going to get rid of it. There might be a group that’s willing to rehab it on the outside so we can do something to display it or keep it,” Dane said. “My idea a while ago was to put it on a trailer you could haul to different places in the city if you wanted to just to sell popcorn. You don’t have to have all the facilities to do a refrigerator, to do all that stuff, but just sell popcorn.”

Dane added she’d like to see the popcorn be rehabbed by a private owner, even if just for display. Mayor Tom Lowry agreed, adding that he’d hate to see it moved outside the city, because of the history of the stand.

Barkley said during the meeting she hopes to use parts of the old stand and incorporate it into the new one.

“I would incorporate the gray twirly thing on top of the new one and of course the sign and the color scheme,” Barkley said. “We want to continue to sell other things too; we just don’t really have the room.”

While the city has not made a decision as of yet on what to do with the stand, a few options, such as seeing about possibly donating it to the St. Joseph County Historical Society, were discussed. But, Bippus stressed, destroying the stand is out of the question.

“City staff will be working with the eventual use of the popcorn stand. Destroying it was never a thought,” Bippus said. “I’ve reached out to some people already to see about it.”

Barkley said following the meeting planning on this project has been going on for nearly two years, with Parks Manager Brittany Wendzel said that the health department noted the building’s condition as “needing to be addressed for a longer term plan.”

“We have addressed that as, I don’t think we can repair it anymore,” Wendzel said. “We’ve done the patchwork that we can; we’re talking about an overhaul at this point. … We are at a point with our current building that we’re going to lose that opportunity for future generations if we don’t come up with a longer-term plan.”

Barkley estimated that she hopes to have the new stand in by next summer.

“We’ll stay open the remainder of the season and close on Labor Day weekend, and then hopefully get it done before the snow flies,” Barkley said.

Either way, Barkley said she hopes the city can find a way for the popcorn stand to be remembered.

“I agree it needs to be remembered somehow, and it would be nice if there was a museum or something inside, because it’s really deteriorating from being outside,” Barkley said.

Wendzel agreed.

“Maybe we can come up with a plan, maybe the parks board can put their heads together. I’m not opposed to it staying in the community, but it’s really not up for outdoor condition anymore, where it’s going to need some investment,” Wendzel said. “If we found a different use for it, if it was more of an observation piece or a museum piece, then you don’t need to have health codes met, like we do when we’re serving food out of it.

“We’re all game, the Park Board included, to having the conversation on what is the best use for the community for this stand. No one wants to shove this old friend out of the way,” Wendzel added. “But in order to continue selling popcorn and using it as coaching for adults with disabilities, we need to take this opportunity on the new stand for food service.”

Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.