KINGSTON — A dream is about to become reality.

At 4 p.m. May 3, the Village Green Foundation will turn the first shovels of dirt to symbolically usher in the start of construction of the long-awaited 23,000-square-foot Village Green Community Center.

According to the foundation, construction will take about 10 months. When completed, the community center will house a new Kingston branch library, senior center, and a Boys & Girls Club.

It will also be the culmination of 12 years of community effort to transform a former Navy housing site into a center of community life.

That effort — which included a complicated network of partners and roles — resulted in the development of Village Green Park and creation of a park district to maintain it; Martha & Mary’s development of affordable apartments for older residents; and now the community center and library.

“We could not be more thrilled to be at this point,” board president Mary McClure said in an announcement of the event.

“It’s been a long and at times difficult journey, but watching the community come together in support of this effort has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my life.”

The project is expected to cost $8.2 million.

The project started, as aforesaid, when the Navy housing site was acquired by Kitsap County. The county deeded the site to the foundation for a future community center and library, and the county pledged to the project the proceeds from the eventual sale of the current community center and library on Highway 104. That vision was bolstered later by a donor’s gift of $1 million for the new library.

Teams of volunteers cleared and improved the site. Kingston voters established the Village Green Metropolitan Park District, a junior taxing district, to support development and maintenance of Village Green Park. A portion of the Village Green property was sold to Martha & Mary for construction of affordable apartments for older residents; the proceeds from that sale were used to install infrastructure for the community center.

Major donations came from the state, $1.5 million; and the C. Keith Birkenfeld Foundation, $1 million. But the rest came from approximately 70 other donors — individuals, non-profit organizations, foundations and  federal, state and Tribal governments.

“It’s the breadth of community engagement in this project that has continued to propel it forward,” park district commissioner Bobbie Moore said in the announcement.

“It’s been the ultimate do-it-yourself project, and yet has had help from a rich variety of partners — a true community effort.”

Kitsap Regional Library Director Jill Jean said, “We are excited that this long-held dream is on its way to becoming a reality and that Kingston will have a wonderful library designed to reflect this growing community.”

Bill Tsoukalas, president and CEO of Snohomish County Boys & Girls Club, added, “We appreciate the opportunity to be part of this important and needed project for the community, which benefits both kids and adults, and we thank the donors that contributed to help make it happen.”

Contract awarded
Tim Ryan Construction, or TRC, has been awarded the contract for the construction of the community center.

According to the company, the project has been targeted for LEED Silver designation by the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED is the abbreviation for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, a certification program that recognizes building methods that minimize impact on the environment, produce less waste, and result in buildings that are energy and water efficient.

According to the company, TRC will use cloud–based project management systems “to collaborate efficiently with the project’s architects, user groups and owner to streamline the building process.”

TRC’s previous LEED-certified projects include the Suquamish Museum.

Village Green Community Center Groundbreaking
Schedule of Events
May 3
3:45 p.m.: Guests arrive.
4 p.m.: Groundbreaking ceremony.
4:30 p.m.: Photos of children and dignitaries participating in the groundbreaking.
4:45 p.m.: Apple pie and coffee at the picnic pavilion.