By John Leggett-The Courier-Herald
It's said that good things come to those who wait and that patience is a virtue.
But, thanks to a “get it done” mantra apparently chanted in Buckley, the youth center on River Avenue has been all green lights and the end is clearly in sight.
The building project began in early fall 2007 and - as a byproduct of the work of construction crews and the volunteerism of townspeople - nine months later the youth center is born.
The Buckley Youth Center will be dedicated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Dignitaries on hand for the grand opening will include Congressman Dave Reichert, Pierce County Councilman Shawn Bunney and King County Councilman Reagan Dunn. Dunn was invited because his mother, the late congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, spearheaded a drive that brought more than half of the federal funding necessary for the youth center cause in 2002. She pulled the political strings to come up with a Department of Housing and Urban Development grant for more than $200,000.
While built quickly, the youth center effort involved a decade of waiting and a mountain of red tape.
That meant extra cost, because through the years the price of construction and materials have escalated substantially.
In August, the Buckley City Council gave the youth center a ringing endorsement, approving the building next to the town's skate park.
During this meeting it was revealed that while Bunney had already secured $150,000 in Pierce County Community Development Block Grant money for the project, he had also come up with another $50,000. That brought a total of $400,000 when combined with the HUD grant.
Through a competitive bid process, Interwest Construction and Development agreed to build the center for $391,000.
One of the major players in the youth center movement has been Marcy Boulet, who heads the charitable Families First Coalition and spoke at the August City Council meeting. She shed some light on the numerous benefits associated with youth centers, drawing applause from the audience.
“Over the past half decade, getting this center built has been priority one for us,” Boulet said that evening, adding that the approval by the city council would validate the fact that youth had been heard and that people can still make a difference. “These centers offer a safe haven in which to congregate, instead of coming home from school to an empty house, because both parents are still at work.”
Jennifer Bacon, youth center director, said a main activity during Tuesday's festivities will be a skateboard demonstration and competition.
Additionally, food purchased by the city of Buckley and prepared by Buckley Fire Department personnel, will be served, along with a large cake and other refreshments.
Bacon said donations by citizens of Buckley have been remarkable.
“We've had people donate their time, talents and treasures, along with building materials, computers, appliances, phones, office furniture and sporting equipment,” she said. “Leading the way with cash donations, though, have been the Buckley Log Show and the Kiwanis Club. Those two are continuously asking if there is anything else that they can do for us.”
John Leggett can be reached at jleggett@courierherald.com.
