Application Made for New Community Facility Facility Funds
*
•
•
The application for a HUD Community Block Grant to finance development
of government Hill was submitted on May 29.
Here is an excerpt from
that application, a description of the community facility building;
The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon will address
a portion of its tribal facility needs with HUD Basic Grant funds for
Indian Tribes and Alaskan Natives during the current funding cycle.
The selection of the type of structure to be built with community
Development Block Grant funds was based on a tribal membership survey
and on the size of the available grant.
Tribal members felt that the
office and community buildings options should be given priority.
Since the size of the basic proposed community structure is smaller
than the size of the proposed office building, it was decided that-
project could be more completely accomplished with the $250,000 grant
dollars.
Additional money will be needed to complete the first
building.
The tribe is currently considering timber sales money and
a low interest Farmers Home Administration Loan.
Since the reestablishment of official relations between the Tribe and
the Federal government, tribal activities have
taken place
in
"borrowed space."
School gyms, Grange halls, and VFW facilities have
provided makeshift shelter for tribal meetings and celebrations.
As
participation in those events increases, adequate facilities have
become more difficult to secure.
There is much competition for the few available spaces, and numerous
restrictions on their use.
This has caused serious difficulties in
scheduling pow-wows (which attract up to 1,000 persons) and other
large functions, especially those involving Indian dancing.
The construction of the tribal community facility will provide a
strong impetus toward realizing a major tribal goal--the return of
Siletz people to their homeland and the reknitting of the Tribe's
social and cultural fabric.
The 5,500-square-foot facility to be constructed will include a large
multipurpose room (to accommodate gatherings of 300 people, dining for
150 people, or athletic activities such as badminton, volleyball, and
half-court b a s k e t b a l l ) ; a kitchen (to accommodate storage of tribal
fish and game, food preparation for tribal celebrations, and group
canning p r o j e c t s ) ; a tribal room (for classes, small meetings, and
program staff) ; a storage room (for tables, chairs, recreation equip
ment, craft class supplies, and maintenance equi p m e n t ) ; and toilet/
shower rooms with outside access (for use by picnickers and during
outdoor recreational activities).
*