It's taken nearly four years to get underway, but construction on the new Boys and Girls Club in Sultan has officially begun.
The groundbreaking celebration took place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9 amidst representatives from the Volunteers of America of Western Washington (VOA), the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County and the city of Sultan. Robert Knoll from United States Representative Suzan Delbene's office was in attendance, as well as 39th District Representative Elizabeth Scott and many other excited Boys and Girls Club supporters.
Sultan resident Claire Sorgen, sporting her sparkly new America's National Teenager Scholarship Organization (ANTSO) attire, attended the event with her mother, Gini Sorgen. Claire was crowned ANTSO's Miss Junior National Teenager at the national pageant in July. In her new role, Claire will be serving as an ambassador to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, in support of ANTSO's nation-wide partnership with the organization.
Boys and Girls Club Board President Joe Gaffney spoke, giving some of the history of the Boys and Girls Club's Sultan location, which first opened its doors in 1990. The club eventually operated out of a two-story, city-owned building located at 705 1st-áSt., which, on December 24, 2010, burned to the ground. The fire happened in the middle of the night, and no one was injured.
The building was a total loss.
VOA Director Dave Wood, who passed away in 2011, immediately stepped forward to open VOA doors to the Boys and Girls Club. He offered them space to work in so that they could continue providing services to the Sky Valley community.
"We were extremely fortunate to have the Volunteers of America step up to the plate and open their doors for our operations,GÇ¥ said Gaffney. "Operations were back up and running the following Monday without skipping a beat.GÇ¥
After the fire, the city of Sultan utilized a portion of the insurance funds to conduct a feasibility study to determine the optimal location for a new club.
Bob Martin, who served as Sultan's Community Development Manager at the time, was heavily involved in the feasibility process, as was a blue-ribbon committee created by Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick.
The blue-ribbon panel established seven potential locations, which Martin narrowed down to three based on various criteria including access, availability, cost, utilities, parking and more. An engineering firm helped to further narrow the choices by performing extensive analysis on two of the possible locations.
Finally, it was decided that the site that could best accommodate all aspects of a new club was on VOA property, approximately one block south from where the original club had been situated.
Volunteers of America Regional Vice President Bob Reese spoke of the collaborative effort between the VOA, the Boys and Girls Club and the city of Sultan.
"It wouldn't have been possible without Carolyn Eslick's team,GÇ¥ said Reese. "In particular, Bob Martin, who shouldered the heavy work to get everything moved forward. They did everything possible to expedite this and get us to the point where we are and we really greatly appreciate it.GÇ¥
Reese acknowledged both Dave Wood and Sultan resident and blue-ribbon committee member Bob Knuckey, neither of whom lived long enough to see the groundbreaking take place.
The new 13,500 square foot building will include classroom space, a gymnasium, a technology center, a teen center, a games room, space for the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP), and a preschool operated by the VOA.
Funds for the project have been obtained via various sources including a Snohomish County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $340,000, a Washington State Legislative Proviso for $500,000 and insurance money from the city of Sultan.
They are currently working on securing additional grant funding in the amount of $340,000, which may be available via a Washington State Youth Recreational Facilities grants program. The program, which was established in 2003, provides for construction and major renovations of nonresidential youth recreational facilities. The funding is dependent on the capital budget passing in 2015.
Sultan was able to contribute just over $1 million in insurance funds to the Boys and Girls Club by working out a contract for long-term services. Since city funds cannot be gifted, the agreement stipulates that the Boys and Girls Club will provide services to Sultan and the Sky Valley for a minimum time period of 15 years.
After the work of the blue-ribbon committee and the initial feasibility studies, the city determined that perhaps the best way for the project to proceed was by removing themselves from the process.
"I think the biggest thing that I learned in the last three-and-a-half, almost four years, is that sometimes, government has to get out of the way,GÇ¥ said Mayor Eslick. "We did that, finally, and as soon as we stepped out of the equation and left it up to the Boys and Girls Club and to Volunteers of America, things got done.GÇ¥
The construction is being phased in an effort to control costs and to avoid further delay on the project. Phase one will include the main club facility, with the gymnasium being completed during phase two. Phase one is estimated to cost approximately $1.3 million, and the Boys and Girls Club is planning on obtaining separate bids for phase two in 2015.
The new club will provide services for up to 1,000 youth.
Gaffney, Eslick and Reese thanked everyone who had a hand in seeing the project through, including Washington State Senator Kirk Pearson and Snohomish County Councilmember Dave Somers, who couldn't be present at the groundbreaking event.
Reese also took a moment to introduce new VOA Director Calei Vaughn to celebration attendees.
"Here's a person who has the respect of the people that she serves,GÇ¥ said Reese. "Here's a person who has the respect of the community and has the respect of those of us who work with her.GÇ¥
He described how Vaughn has been able to connect with individuals in need of services that other VOA staff simply couldn't reach.
"So we're going to let her be the one to turn the soil today,GÇ¥ said Reese.
The new club will provide educational services as well as recreational and social programs for youth ages five through 18. The new facility will also expand opportunities for ECEAP preschool services, increasing the capacity from 30 children to 40. A community room and gym will be available for use by community groups and sports teams.
"This has been an incredible journey,GÇ¥ said Eslick. "I am thrilled to have been part of it, and thrilled to be able to watch it happen in the next few months. All of you are scheduled to be back here in the spring so we can open the doors and cut the ribbon.GÇ¥
For more information on the Sultan Boys and Girls Club, please visit: http://bgcsc.org/blog/sultan-club-groundbreaking/.
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