Photo by Deb Gau The city of Ivanhoe recently announced that it is in the process of buying the VFW building in Ivanhoe from the area VFW post. Post Commander Kevin Leibfried said running and maintaining the building was getting harder for VFW members, but they knew it was still important to have the event space available for the community.

IVANHOE — The city of Ivanhoe and an area Veterans of Foreign Wars post are working on a new chapter in a community building’s history. Earlier this week, the city of Ivanhoe posted on social media that it was in the process of purchasing the Ivanhoe VFW building.

Lincoln County VFW Post 2980 Commander Kevin Leibfried said the decision to have the city run the VFW building didn’t mean the post was closing down.

“We have at our post a membership of about 35 to 40,” and the post was also doing fine financially, Leibfried said. However, the work of maintaining the building was getting harder as the post membership aged.

“To be able to run that facility . . . it’s falling on fewer members. It just wasn’t feasible for us to keep it going in that regard,” he said. At the same time, VFW members knew the building filled an important need as a venue for community events.

Leibfried said the VFW were working on the sale of the building to the city of Ivanhoe. Hopefully the sale would be finalized by February, he said.

In a Facebook post, the city of Ivanhoe said the plan was for the building to be called the Ivanhoe Event Center, and it would be available for the public to rent. The city said the Ivanhoe Municipal Liquor Store would provide beverages and bartenders for events at the center.

The Ivanhoe VFW building, located at the corner of Saxon and Harold Street, was originally built as a farm store, Leibfried said. The business closed in the early 1970s. The VFW purchased the building, and has used it as a meeting place and event hall since 1972, he said.

“Back in the heyday, there were dances there every weekend,” Leibfried said.

Over the years, there were fewer dances at the VFW. But it still serves as a place for events ranging from Ivanhoe’s community Thanksgiving meal to Red Cross bloodmobile visits. Leibfried estimated that around 50 to 60 events a year are held at the VFW.

Leibfried said the discussion about whether to sell the VFW building started last year. Post members felt the building was valuable enough to the community that they didn’t want to just put it up for sale. VFW members voted to start the process of talking with the city of Ivanhoe, Leibfried said.

The process of working out an arrangement with the city has been positive, he said. “They know how vital it is for the community,” Leibfried said.

“We appreciate all the support we’ve had from the community over the years,” Leibfried said. He hoped community members would still continue to hold events at the facility.