The City of Wayland has been awarded a $2,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources Derelict Building Grant Program. Fifteen small, rural Iowa towns were awarded a total of nearly $400,000 through the program. The program was instituted to help rural communities with populations of less than 5,000 with funding awarded annually on a competitive basis with cash matches required.
Wayland received their grant to inspect and remove asbestos from buildings at 211 and 213 West Main Street. After that is complete, the city plans to sell the renovated buildings to local business interests. In addition to asbestos removal, the Derelict Building Grant Program also helps communities demolish or renovate abandoned structures and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill.