Black Hills Energy Donates Unused Building To City Of Rawlins

NOVEMBER 5, 2024|

Photo – Route of moving the donated building – Courtesy City of Rawlins

The condemned Rawlins parks department building has been demolished to make way for a new structure donated to the city by Black Hills Energy.

During the September 3^rd Rawlins city council meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Nikki Howell informed the governing body that Black Hills Energy offered to donate an unneeded modular building to the city. Howell suggested using the structure to replace the current and dangerous parks department office, located at 1500 East Daley Street.

Speaking to Bigfoot99 in September, Black Hills Energy Senior Community Affairs Manager Laurie Farkas said the company recently moved into a larger structure and no longer needed the modular office building. After reaching out to Rawlins officials, Farkas said the decision was made to give the building to the city.

The building needs to be moved—at the city’s expense—roughly one and a half blocks from 1411 McMicken Street to the site of the parks department office on East Daley Street. At the September 3^rd council meeting, Parks and Rec Director Howell explained that moving the donated building is expected to cost around $15,000. The new structure is slightly larger than the existing parks office and a new foundation will need to be built for an additional $30,000.

The city council unanimously voted to accept the donated building from Black Hills Energy.

At the October 15^th Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Tom Sarvey said the former parks department office has been torn down to make way for the donated building.

The donated building has not been moved yet. City officials are still working on the concrete foundation for the structure. However, the area’s high-water table is causing delays.