ELBERTA, Ala. — Space for weddings, receptions, family get-togethers and a place for clubs and business groups to meet is what the Town of Elberta will make available to the public. The cost? “Extremely reasonable,” according to councilman Don Koontz.

The space in question is the “big building” that once served as an auditorium for the Elberta Alliance Church and which is today adjacent to Town Hall. Five years ago the town bought the church property and converted it to a town complex.

The old auditorium is a building Koontz describes as 7,000 square feet of heated/airconditioned space with a large kitchen and bathrooms. The building is located on East Pine behind the Police Department.

“The intent is to provide a service to the public for large seating capacity events and functions,” Koontz said.

The building also has a stage where a band could play, Koontz pointed out.

What the town is offering is, in Koontz’s words, “a non-commercial type enterprise” where the town says “we will rent you this facility for this much money.”

The kitchen in the building has, among other things, an ice machine and a commercial gas stove.

“We will not be in the food preparation business ourselves,” Koontz said of the town renting out the building.

Hopefully, the building will be ready for events within a couple of months — “early spring,” according to Koontz.

“I want to try to get it ready for the Sausage Festival the last Saturday in March,” he said.

According to Koontz, at the Sausage Festival the Fire Department, in conjunction with the town, could bring the event’s signature food to the site for people who might not be able to participate in the festivities outside due to the weather or other factors.

“It’s really set up to do these type things,” Koontz said of the building and its facilities.

At present, Koontz said the town is paying approximately $400 in utilities monthly in connection with the building. There are still some minor issues with the building, including the carpet and lighting; issues the town will address in time, he said.

Another potential problem in connection with the building is “localized parking,” Koontz said, noting that 75 to 100 vehicles could be parked at the building. He points out that additional parking would be available at the town park across the street.