COLORADO SPRINGS — The King Soopers on South Academy Boulevard has been closed for just over three weeks, at the time of publishing, following concerns about asbestos. Community members are struggling to have enough options to shop for food since the closing.
State health officials confirmed the asbestos was found in the tile adhesive on the floor of the store. There has been no official word from King Soopers on when the store will reopen since closing. Those who shop in this area, meanwhile, are scrambling to find the produce they need because there is a limited number of grocery stores.
That is why Food to Power, a local nonprofit, has teamed up with the community-led Southeast Food Coalition, District 4 city council member Yoland Avila, and Rise Southeast to host a community meeting to address concerns.
News5 has been told both Food to Power and city council member Yolanda Avila have been getting several calls from people who live near this King Soopers about the impact of this store’s temporary closure.
Those who live in this area are invited to attend the meeting so you can voice your concerns and listen to the proposed solutions these groups are working on executing.
Meeting details are listed below:
Panorama Park, 4540 Fenton Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80916, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Some of the proposed solutions that will be discussed during tonight’s meeting include having Care and Share Food Bank bring two mobile food banks to this region on Wednesdays, offering farmers markets, and offering transportation to people from this region to grocery stores in other parts of Colorado Springs.
This is the beginning of what could be a series of meetings, depending on how quickly King Soopers is able to re-open its doors.
A King Soopers representative tells News5 the company is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to develop a cleanup plan.
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