Klickitat works to build community center

Traci Kessinger, chair of the Klickitat Community Council, said Klickitat has been working to create a community center for several years.

"We've been talking with the school board, and we received EDA (Economic Development Authority) money, but it wasn't enough," Kessinger explained. "It needs a lot more for renovation than we thought it would need."

The concept is to use a portion of the office facility as a community center, with the school keeping ownership and maintaining the building.

"We're trying to work with the school to figure out what to do with the building to get it up to code," Kessinger said. "There are all kinds of ideas, but so far nothing concrete as to what to put there."

The building is not currently in use. Some school district items are stored there, but Jerry Lynch, superintendent of the Klickitat School District, pointed out that there is no power or water to the building.

"The utilities are turned off," Lynch said.

Lynch said the school district purchased the building at a time there was consideration of using the facility as a school building.

"At that point, enrollment was higher and we anticipated we might need more classrooms to develop for school use," he explained. "Since that time, however, the need for additional class space has diminished, and enrollment has declined some."

According to a spokesperson at the Klickitat County Economic Development Department, in recent years the Klickitat Community Council has requested and received $90,000 in EDA money, which comes from proceeds the county takes from its landfill revenue. The Community Council asked for $30,000 a year over three consecutive years --2001-2003 -- and had hoped to secure additional grant money to help pay for the remodeling and upgrading of the entire building.

That funding has not materialized.

Klickitat resident Mary Ann Cook said she is worried the uncertainty over project costs could lead it to get shelved.

"I'm afraid this project is going to die. It's been in the works for two or three years," Cook said. "As a citizen, I'd hate to see the dollars we've managed to acquire going to waste. And the longer the building sits there, the longer it deteriorates. It's been empty since the mid-1990s."

Lynch said the EDA money remains in an account for capital projects and is gaining interest.

"We have the money in our capital project fund, and it lives there until we can move forward," Lynch said. "Now the question is, how far will the money go? The primary discussion is on the south end of the building, which used to be the mill store. There is not enough money to do the entire building."

According to Lynch, the south portion of the building encompasses about 2,500-3,000 square feet.

Lynch added that the school district is supportive of the goal of using the facility for a community center, but needs the proposals behind the concept to be fleshed out.

"It's a decision the school board is waiting for community input about, to guide the decision on what the community would like to see," Lynch explained.

Lynch wants to see a definite plan in place.

"It's on hold for right now," Lynch said. "The status right now is, the Horizons group is talking through a number of different questions and discussing the potential benefit of a combined community/youth center to decide whether to proceed or not."

Cook pointed out that the community of Lyle has already accomplished what Klickitat hopes to do, and has provided a positive example of what Klickitat might be able to achieve.

"The community needs a building serving seniors, youth, and for a meeting place," Cook said. "Look at the Lyle Lions Club -- they get a lot of use out of that. The bang for the buck is great."

Lynch said he too hopes the project can take off.

"It would be a good place for our kids and community to use for recreation, as well as a community gathering place," he said. "It could be a place for seniors and a number of different community events."