By John Leggett-The Courier Herald

Everything appears to be green lights and full speed ahead for the Buckley Youth Center, planned for land next to the city skate park.

Ground-breaking is slated for mid-December. Scott Drummond, the senior project manager for Interwest Development, the construction company that won the bid to build the center, said that if weather permits, the building should be completed by April or May.

“Everyone has been real positive about helping us with the foundation steps of the project and if all goes well, we will have the building up and running by spring,” Drummond said. “I think the timing is great, because the finish date sort of coincides with the teens getting out of school for the summer.”

At a recent Buckley City Council meeting it was unanimously agreed that building permit fees for the youth center would be waived. Additionally, the frontage fees for the structure, which could amount to as much as $95,000 for street lighting, storm drains, curb, sidewalk and street improvements, landscaping and irrigation as well as utility relocation, would be deferred until the city secures grant money available to defray those expenses.

Drummond said the facility, which will total 2,800 square feet, will include a covered patio and a gabled entrance.

Amy Mullen, a member of the Families First Coalition, a non-profit organization in the area, has donated her architectural know-how and Drummond said Interwest has worked in tandem with Mullen on such things as the color scheme and rock type for the grounds in front of the building.

John Leggett can be reached at jleggett@courierherald.com.