Most North Webster residents have been inside the Tippecanoe Township building’s large conference space for an event, whether for a meeting, party, reunion or other gathering of locals. InkFreeNews photos by Keith Knepp.

By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — Once it was the hub of community activities in North Webster.

More recently, the soon-to-be former Tippecanoe Township building on South Morton found itself in competition with the North Webster Community Center.

It was a battle it wasn’t going to win, and quite frankly one which Township Trustee Chris Francis had no real interest in competing. Soon, it will take on its next chapter as the township prepares to sell it to a local church.

According to Sue Ann Mitchell, the former Tippecanoe Township assessor, the building was constructed in 1951 for use as a manufacturing facility for Blue Bell, a Columbia City-based clothing manufacturer. It was later purchased by Dekko Foundation, which also used it for product manufacturing.

In 1987, Tippecanoe Township was gifted the vacant structure after then trustee Dick Mitchell, Sue Ann’s husband, identified it as an ideal location for a community center. Both elected Mitchells worked together to renovate the building from a factory to a place where groups could hold meetings, host parties, facilitate other gatherings of people and house the assessor’s office and the trustee’s office. The building’s new interior would be centered around a large room, which could be divided into two separate spaces.

Mitchell said the newly renovated building also housed the volunteer EMS department, including sleeping quarters for the EMTs. She noted the first event held was the 50th wedding anniversary party for Bill and Lunetta Metcalf. Additionally, the North Webster Community Library was housed in the building for a time prior to moving into the NWCC.

She added the North Webster Lions Club moved into the building, where it has remained ever since. The Tippecanoe Township Food Pantry was gifted an adjacent building, which previously had served as a machine shop owned by Joe Harris. The smaller building was eventually demolished and converted into additional parking, with the food pantry moving into the township building.

“It was a big deal for the community,” recalled Mitchell. “The whole building was a labor of love.”

Mitchell said she attended a chamber of commerce meeting there recently and was a bit teary-eyed as she left. She has many fond memories of being in the building during the last 40-plus years, many of which included her husband, who died in 2012.

“I understand the need to move,” said Mitchell. “It’s a wise and rational decision by the township.”

Chris Francis assumed the role of trustee in 2018. One of the main tenets of his administration was to make decisions that were fiscally sound for the township. Early in his first term, the idea of selling the building was put on the table.

As time progressed, it became even clearer the building that had served the township and the community so faithfully for nearly three decades needed to be moved on to the next stage of its existence.

“The situation was twofold,” said Francis. “When the building was purchased, it was the community center. The building that now is the community center was the elementary school. It was a ‘one-stop’ shop, the heart of the community.”

With the NWCC taking on that role, the usage for rentals and parties at the township building has steadily decreased, which Francis acknowledges and understands. While the building still had the Lions Club and food pantry as permanent tenants, the cost to maintain the building was far outpacing the income being received.

The township did not have a buyer pursuing the property, but Francis knew the right opportunity would make itself available when the timing was right. North Webster Church of God contacted Francis as it sought to expand its footprint in the community. Francis said the opportunity and timing was ideal for both and a deal was quickly struck.

Francis said the township had budgeted $50,000 for the building this year. With the sale, a large portion of that money will be used toward maintenance at the cemeteries the township is tasked with maintaining.

“Overall, this is beneficial to the community,” Francis said. “This building has been vacant a majority of the time and the taxpayers have been paying for that vacancy. We’re always trying to look out for the taxpayers the best we can.”

The township trustee’s office has been moved to the NWCC. The food pantry will remain at the soon-to-be-former township building. The Lions Club also will stay in the building for the time being, although it plans to move across the street to its own building on the Mermaid Festival grounds once renovations to that space are completed.

The church was reticent to reveal its plans for the space until the closing paperwork is signed, which is anticipated to happen next week. Church officials promised further information will be made available once the paperwork is officially signed.