Chapter Nine
Jam-packed and the roof leaks, too – read the Sunday, April 25, 1987 headline in The Garden City Telegram. The lengthy article pointed out the need to find a new home – roomier and drier quarters. Some offices had two wastebaskets – one for paper and one for water. The only space available for private conversation was the restroom – the girls, as the boys had been converted into a studio.
Judy Seligson, executive director, mentioned 10 cities had expressed initial interest. Garden City discussed offering the old library building (formerly the U.S. Post Office), 210 N. 7th. And, they did. Yearly rent would be $1.00 and the city would handle any major structural or roof repair. In addition, the Garden City Telegram reported The Finnup Foundation Trust offered the station a grant of $100,000, if it accepted the former library.
The Kanza Society, a nonprofit licensee of High Plains Public Radio, (once KANZ-FM and later KANZ/KZNA and HPPR) broadcast from studios located in Pierceville, Kansas until 1986. At that time, Building a Sound Future, a capital campaign was launched with Kansas First Lady Patty Hayden as Honorary Chairman and Dr. Luther and Ardis Fry as Co-Chairmen. Kathleen Holt served as campaign consultant with Bruce Glass as architect for the renovation of the former US Post Office/Garden City Library into studios for HPPR. A total of $680,000 was raised.
On moving day, Kathleen Holt walked into the abandoned Pierceville studios to do a final sweep. Shockingly, the ceiling in the main studio had collapsed overnight. Out in the nick of time!
The High Plains Public Radio studios in Garden City were dedicated in 1992.
Join the celebration with a gift to High Plains Public Radio at hppr.org.
Pictured are: Unknown - Guymon; Louise Tribble - Liberal; Ginny Beesley, immediate past president, with son Christopher - Gove; Ardis Fry, co-chairman-Garden City; Dave Parman, board chairman - Johnson; Unknown; Gaston Tribble - Liberal; Dale Bolton - Garden City; Unknown
