Free food pantry restored to operation on Colorado Springs' west side
Oct. 24—The pantry doors have been flung open once again.
On Friday, Hailey Radvillas' Pikes Peak Little Free Pantry, which stands in front of her home on the west side of Colorado Springs and is often stocked with donated food and personal items for those in need, was shut down.
A Colorado Springs city code enforcement officer saw squirrels noshing on a pile of raisins that had spilled to the ground around the pantry, and warned Radvillas she was in violation of a city bear-resistant garbage can code. She needed to remove all food items immediately or risk facing a fine.
She was devastated.
"I cried a lot," Radvillas said. "I cried in front of the city official."
On Monday, the city's Neighborhood Services Manager Mitch Hammes told Radvillas he had reviewed city code and didn't find the pantry presented a violation worthy of enforcement action.
"The officer saw squirrels getting into food," Hammes said. "The ordinance prohibits feeding wildlife. I don't know where the idea came from that the city is shutting it down. It's not accurate. It's not officially shut down. We're still reviewing the conversation."
Radvillas opened the pantry, at 516 W. Pikes Peak Ave., across from the popular Western Omelette restaurant, at the beginning of 2021 and registered it as part of the network of Little Free Pantries (littlefreepantry.org) across the U.S.
With its gabled roof, Plexiglas door and giraffe-pattern paint job of blue, green, purple and magenta, the cabinet is often filled with food and toiletry donations, including deodorant, diapers, toothpaste and toothbrushes and menstrual products. Radvillas also offers water.
People stop by regularly, both to donate items, including clothing, dog and pet food and other household goods, and to receive. There are no limits on what people can take, and they never have to leave their name or address, as many food banks require. The pantry can be found on Instagram at @pikespeakpantry and Facebook at facebook.com/pikespeakpantry.
Hammes' phone call was an unexpected and auspicious way to begin the week for Radvillas, who planned to immediately restore the pantry doors and mini-refrigerator. She won't, however, put the garbage can back out.
"I'm feeling happy, relieved and surprised, very surprised," she said. "He (Hammes) didn't mention this, but I don't want to risk having a garbage can out that isn't bear resistant. We might fundraise to get a bear-resistant can. It's been a great way for people to throw out garbage. Our neighborhood has been cleaner."
Hammes has made several visits to the pantry since one complaint was filed in June, but has never seen anything that violates any ordinances. He reached out Monday to apologize for the misunderstanding.
"I will tell her if you can take action to keep animals out of it we'll be OK," he said. "And please continue to serve the community. We want people to be active contributors to the community."
